Extreme Cold/Wind Chill — Clayton, Iowa

2025-01-20 to 2025-01-21 · Clayton, Iowa

Event narrative

Dangerously cold wind chills began on the evening of the 20th and continued through noon on the 21st in Clayton County where values dropped between 35 to 45 degrees below zero. The coldest observed wind chill in the county of 42 degrees below zero was recorded in Monona, IA.

Wider weather episode

An extended period of cold weather occurred across the Upper Mississippi River Valley with several mornings of wind chills of 25 degrees below zero or colder from January 19th to the 22nd. The coldest period with this arctic airmass was the evening on the 20th through the morning hours on the 21st where widespread wind chills of 35 degrees below zero were observed across northeast Iowa.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1231602. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.