Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in Putnam, Indiana

On the 1st pre-dawn, temperatures as low as -12F, and light winds sustained under 5 mph...resulted in extreme wind chills as low as -20F.

A deep upper trough reinforced by a series of short waves plunging arctic air through interior North America, maintained persistent anomalous cold over central Indiana through January 2026's final week and February 1st, which was enhanced by a deep snow pack over most zones. The cold outbreak's final embedded short wave plunged the farthest south, from the Middle Mississippi Valley on January 31st to the Carolina coast on the 1st. Associated arctic surface high pressure centered over the Louisiana Gulf coast early on the 1st, extended its amplified ridge axis back over Indiana and into southeastern Canada, amid a weak surface gradient. Resultant clear skies and light winds prevailed over central Indiana's remnant 5-10 inch snow pack from the January 31st late evening through daybreak on the 1st. Temperatures fell generally as low as -5 to -15F with widespread resultant wind chills of -5F to -27F over the majority of central Indiana, with criteria wind chills limited to only Putnam, Hancock and Shelby Counties.