Ottawa hit by coldest snowstorm in more than 120 years, Canada
On January 20, 2019, Canadian capital Ottawa experienced its coldest day with significant snowfall in more than 120 years.
The daytime high temperatures in the city reached -19.3 °C (-2.74 °F) with a low of -24.2 °C (-11.5 °F) on January 19, but the city saw less than 5 cm (1.9 inches) of snow. January 20, however, brought over 20 cm (7.8 inches) of snow and daytime high temperature of -17.4 °C (-0.68 °F), making it the coldest snowstorm to hit the city in more than 120 years.
Ottawa's coldest snowstorm on record is still the one that hit on February 8, 1895, when the city received 45.7 cm (17.9 inches) of snow with a daytime high of -17.8 °C (0 °F).
With an avg windchill of -31.6, yesterday was #Ottawa's 2nd windchilliest Jan 20th since records began in 1953. #OttWeather pic.twitter.com/WYEuhww5qr
— YOW Weather Records (@YOW_Weather) January 21, 2019
Coldest snowstorm in more than 100 years expected tomorrow. Temperatures are expected to stay below -15°C with up to 20cm of snow. The last time that happened in #Ottawa was February 8th, 1895 when we received 45.7cm of snow with a daytime high of -17.8°C (0°F). #OttNews pic.twitter.com/0DMFkFgZAf
— YOW Weather Records (@YOW_Weather) January 19, 2019
With a 1pm snow total of 21cm, today is #Ottawa's snowiest Jan 20th since records began in 1873. #OttNews pic.twitter.com/oXagkoaTYk
— YOW Weather Records (@YOW_Weather) January 20, 2019
With a 2am windchill of -38.0, today is #Ottawa's 3rd windchilliest Jan 21st since records began in 1953. #OttWeather pic.twitter.com/b3EWoY7ROg
— YOW Weather Records (@YOW_Weather) January 21, 2019
So cccoldd fingers fweezzzing trying to get this clip . . . pic.twitter.com/w2rPi9T7CO
— John Zwicker (@JohnZwicker1) January 19, 2019
January 19, 2019 will also stay remembered as residents of Ottawa woke up to -24 °C (-11.2 °F), making their city the coldest capital city on Earth, some 20 °C (36 °F) colder than Moscow and Helsinki.
The intense cold, which collided with a healthy stream of moisture directly from the mild Gulf of Mexico is to blame for this rare occurrence and Ottawa just happened to find itself at the intersection of the two, The Weather Network meteorologists said.
Featured image credit: John Zwicker @JohnZwicker1
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