The Coldest State in the U.S. Is Below Freezing on Average
The United States has a wide range of climate zones, from the subtropical to the arctic . On the low end of the thermometer, there are plenty of options for a deep winter chill. Here, we look at a couple different ways to determine the coldest state in the U.S. — and by both definitions, there's one winner.
How Are We Rating the Coldest States?
To rank the coldest US states, we'll be looking at two different categories: The first is the average annual temperature, and the second is the coldest temperature ever recorded.
This way, we'll establish a baseline: What are the states that, on average, are coldest overall? And which boast the coldest temperatures ever?
Average Annual Temperature
For the average temperatures, we concentrated on the coldest states, as measured by statewide average temperature. The data we used comes from the National Centers for Environmental Information , a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA ).
To get the average, we used as wide a range of temperature records as we can get, including data that stretches all the way back to 1895, when state-by-state temperatures began being compiled in the United States.
Each year, the average monthly temperature is recorded, and then plotted on a graph. Over the whole base period — 1895 to 2024 — we can average those records together, giving us the overall average temperature.
Record Lows
Then, we'll take a look at those extreme cases where the very coldest temperatures in the U.S. were ever recorded.
The following list looks at the states with the coldest average temperatures, ranked from coldest to relatively warmest (but still pretty cold).
You probably guessed which state would come out on top: It's Alaska. Located well to the north of the rest of the continental United States, with the cold air blowing in from the icy arctic, it's no surprise that Alaska has the coldest average annual temperature, coming it at well below freezing.
The second-coldest state is North Dakota — again, probably not too shocking to see this up there.
Notice how, when you get down to the contiguous states, the average temperature rises back into the above-freezing range. That average is chilly in part due to those very cold winters; the average winter temperature on the same timescale (1895 to 2024) is 10.9 degrees Fahrenheit (-11.7 degrees Celsius).
Slightly — but only slightly — warmer than North Dakota is another state in the upper midwest region, likewise famed for its frigid winters: Minnesota.
In fact, it's right next door to North Dakota, and despite having the temperature extremes that are typical of its continental position, the colder temperatures of the winter months drag the average towards the low end of the thermometer .
Almost tied with Minnesota is Maine. The most eastern state in America is the fourth coldest, also known for the very cold weather it has during wintertime.
Winters in Maine can be brutal, with lots of snow and below-freezing temperatures, although the coastal winter temperatures are slightly warmer than those in the western portions of the state, due to the moderating effect of the Atlantic ocean.
Wyoming is a high, dry, semi-arid state, sparsely populated (it's the second least-dense after Alaska) with long, cold winters that make it the fifth-coldest state. With the Rocky Mountains to the West and high prairie over much of the east of the state, winters can get very cold and windy.
Located to the north of Wyoming is Montana, ever so slightly warmer. With a varied topography, elevation and climate, Montana has a wide range of temperatures, which can vary considerably based on where in the state you are. Still, on average, it's a cool state, with winters that can be intensely frigid.
The seventh coldest state in America is Vermont. Once again, we're back in the eastern portion of the country.
While summers in Vermont can have moderate temperatures, the winter months often have extremely low temperatures, especially in the " Northeast Kingdom ," which refers to the rural, northeast portion of the state.
Top 7 Coldest Temperatures Recorded by State
In this list, we're going to be looking at the extreme cases: instances where the temperature dropped to the lowest point ever (or at least, during the span of time when reliable measurements were being taken).
The coldest record on this list is, unsurprisingly, occurred in Alaska. The coldest temperature recorded was on January 23, 1971, in Prospect Creek, a former mining camp.
Montana experienced this exceptionally cold extreme on January 20, 1954, at Rogers Pass, a high mountain pass on the continental divide.
While not appearing on our previous list of lowest average annual temperature, Utah does get plenty of cold weather. On February 1, 1985, it reached its coldest temperature ever, at Peter Sinks, a naturally-formed sinkhole in the state.
Wyoming's record for coldest temperature ever came on February 9, 1933, at the Riverside Ranger Station in Yellowstone National Park.
Colorado appears on this list of extremes at No. 5, with a record created on February 1, 1985, in Maybell, a non-incorporated community in Moffat County, the northwestern-most county in the state.
We know from the list above that Idaho has a very low average winter temperature. The coldest record comes from January 18, 1943, when the small town of Island Park hit a massively frigid all-time low.
On February 2, 1966, in Tower — a small town on the southern shore of Lake Vermilion, Minnesota — hit its lowest temperature ever.
Original : The Coldest State in the U.S. Is Below Freezing on Average
