Coldest day in Sioux Falls history? Nope. Here's how Wednesday stacks up

Life-threatening lows hit eastern South Dakota on Wednesday, breaking daily records in Huron, De Smet and elsewhere.

So how does the morning's low temperature of minus-25 in Sioux Falls stack up in the record books kept by the National Weather Service?

Mostly as a footnote, at least compared to the city's coldest day ever.

"That, we didn’t come close to," said Andrew Kalin, a meteorologist for the weather service's Sioux Falls office.

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Sioux Falls recorded air temperature has been as cold or colder at least 94 times in recorded history. Including ties, it ties for 15th overall. In fact, Wednesday's minus-25 didn't even break the Jan. 30 record in Sioux Falls, which will continue to stand at minus-27.

The all-time coldest day Sioux Falls occurred during what appears to be a particularly frigid week in 1899. 

A series of days in early February of that year marked Sioux Falls' top-three coldest recorded air temperatures. On Feb. 8, 1899 the low temperature dipped to minus-38. Feb. 11, 1899, was even colder, with the low reaching minus-40.

The coldest low on record in Sioux Falls occurred Feb, 9, 1899, when the air temp reached minus-42.

January and February are the coldest months, with freezing temps caused by cooling during the solstice. Much like the daily cycle, warming and cooling takes time and the cold air hits the region after the days start getting longer.

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"There's a lag between when the shortest day is and when the coldest temperatures occur," Kalin said.

Even with temperatures expected to improve in the next few days, there's still a chance for extreme cold in the region. History shows the lowest temperatures are typically logged from mid-January to mid-February.

"You can't rule out cold spells in February," Kalin said.