
A winter-like pattern will continue over much of the Lower 48 over the next few days, with snow stretching from the Rockies today into the Middle Mississippi Valley on Monday. Showers and thunderstorms will develop along the Gulf Coast and Southeast on Monday. As the storm moves northward late Monday into Tuesday, winter weather is possible from the Central Appalachians to Interior New England. Read More >
The last week of December 2017 and the first week of January 2018 saw arctic air flow into central Indiana, providing some of the coldest temperatures in about 4 years.
The upper level atmosphere flow allowed air straight from the arctic to flow into the area. Temperatures plunged to well below zero, with even colder wind chills.
Below are some data and facts about the cold spell...
Daily High/Low Temperatures for each day:
| City | Dec 26 | Dec 27 | Dec 28 | Dec 29 | Dec 30 | Dec 31 | Jan 1 | Jan 2 | Jan 3 | Jan 4 | Jan 5 | Jan 6 |
| Indianapolis | 19 / 2 | 11 / -3 | 18 / 4 | 19 / 15 | 17 / 0 | 11 / -1 | 4 / -10 | 11 / -12 | 20 / 3 | 13 / -3 | 11 / -8 | 16 / -7 |
| Lafayette | 10 / -5 | 5 / -11 | 16 / -8 | 16 / 10 | 14 / -7 | 6 / -8 | -4 / -17 | 4 / -19 | 18 / -1 | 6 / -10 | 6 / -15 | 10 / -17 |
| Muncie | 13 / 0 | 10 / -4 | 17 / -2 | 18 / 14 | 15 / -2 | 10 / 0 | 0 / -10 | 8 / -10 | 19 / 5 | 14 / 1 | 9 / -3 | 14 / -5 |
| Terre Haute | 20 / 2 | 11 / -3 | 20 / 3 | 20 / 15 | 20 / 3 | 9 / -1 | 2 / -9 | 13 / -9 | 22 / 5 | 10 / -3 | 12 / -2 | 17 / -9 |
| Bloomington | 22 / 5 | 13 / -2 | 21 / 4 | 22 / 17 | 21 / 3 | 12 / -1 | 7 / -6 | 15 / -9 | 22 / 5 | 15 / -1 | 16 / 0 | 21 / -9 |
Graph of Indianapolis Temperatures during the period Dec 26 - Jan 6. Click to enlarge.
At Indianapolis: The high temperature of 11 on December 31 tied the record for the coolest maximum temperature for the date. The low temperature of -12 on January 2 tied the record low temperature for the date, which was originally set in 1887. The average temperature of 3.2 degrees for the period Jan 1 to Jan 6 is the coldest for the first 6 days of any year since records began in 1871.
Below is the departure from normal for average temperatures for Dec 26 to Jan 6. Click to enlarge.