Iowa's Chilly Wake-Up: Cities Break Century-Old Cold Records

Iowa experienced a deep freeze that made history. On the morning of December 4th, many places in the state saw temperatures drop to levels never seen before. This was all thanks to a polar vortex that brought a sudden blast of winter weather. The cold was so intense that it broke records set a long time ago. Some of these records were from the late 1800s. Cities like Waterloo and Fayette saw temperatures plummet to -15 and -14 degrees respectively. These numbers shattered old records from 1991 and 1976. The cold didn't just hit a few places. It was widespread. Cities like Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, and Osage all felt the extreme chill. The temperatures in these areas were so low that they broke records set decades ago. But it wasn't just the big cities that felt the cold. Smaller towns like Estherville and Mason City also saw record-breaking lows. The cold was so intense that it even broke records set in the early 1900s. The cold snap wasn't just a one-day event. It was expected to stick around for a while. Winds were expected to ease, but the cold was going to stay. People were advised to keep an eye on weather updates. The good news is that temperatures were expected to rise slightly starting Friday, December 5th. But even with the slight warm-up, the cold was still a big deal. It was a reminder of how unpredictable weather can be.