Arctic Outbreak 2009...A Historical Perspective

ARCTIC AIR INVADED THE GREAT LAKES REGION ON TUESDAY AND LASTED
THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WHILE ARCTIC AIR INTRUSIONS ARE
NOT UNCOMMON FOR SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN...HAVING ONE AFFECT THE
REGION FOR FIVE DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING SIGNIFICANTLY BELOW
ZERO EACH DAY ARE MUCH MORE RARE.

DETROIT...

DETROIT FELL TO A RECORD -15 DEGREES BELOW ZERO DURING THE MORNING
OF FRIDAY JANUARY 16. THIS IS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR DETROIT
SINCE A -20 ON JANUARY 19 1994. JANUARY LOW TEMPERATURE RECORDS ARE
SOME OF THE HARDEST RECORDS TO BREAK IN DETROITS LONG CLIMATE
HISTORY. THIS RECORD WAS THE FIRST RECORD LOW TEMPERATURE IN THE
MONTH OF JANUARY IN DETROIT SINCE JANUARY 5 1999.

THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT DETROIT METRO AIRPORT FELL BELOW ZERO ONCE 
AGAIN SATURDAY MORNING REACHING -11...MARKING THE 4TH DAY IN A ROW
OF BELOW ZERO LOW TEMPERATURES. A STREAK LIKE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED
SINCE THE BITTERLY COLD JANUARY OF 1994.

FLINT...

FLINT FELL TO A RECORD -19 DEGREES BELOW ZERO DURING THE MORNING
OF WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14.  THIS IS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR FLINT
SINCE A -21 ON JANUARY 19 1994.

THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT FLINT BISHOP AIRPORT FELL BELOW ZERO ONCE 
AGAIN SATURDAY MORNING REACHING -5...MARKING THE 5TH DAY IN A ROW
OF BELOW ZERO LOW TEMPERATURES. A STREAK LIKE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED
SINCE THE BITTERLY COLD JANUARY OF 2004...WHEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY
6 DAYS IN A ROW THAT FELL BELOW ZERO.

DURING THE ARCTIC OUTBREAK OF THE PAST WEEK...FLINT HAS HAD A STREAK
OF THREE DAYS IN A ROW OF LOW TEMPERATURES OF -10 OR LOWER. THIS STREAK
TIES THE LONGEST RECORD STREAK OF -10 OR LOWER WITH THREE DAYS IN JANUARY
1994 AND ALSO IN JANUARY 1984. THIS STREAK RECORD USES FLINT CLIMATE DATA
BACK TO 1921.

SAGINAW...

SAGINAW FELL TO A RECORD -10 DEGREES BELOW ZERO DURING THE MORNING
OF WEDNESDAY JANUARY 14.  THIS IS THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE FOR SAGINAW
SINCE A -12 ON JANUARY 25 2004.

THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT SAGINAW FELL BELOW ZERO ONCE AGAIN SATURDAY 
MORNING REACHING -2...MARKING THE 5TH DAY IN A ROW OF BELOW ZERO LOW
TEMPERATURES. A STREAK LIKE THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE THE BITTERLY COLD
DECEMBER OF 2000...WHEN THERE WERE ACTUALLY 7 DAYS IN A ROW THAT LOWS
FELL BELOW ZERO.