Great Blizzard of 1899


The Great Blizzard of 1899, also known as the Great Arctic Outbreak of 1899 and the St. Valentine's Day Blizzard, was an exceptionally severe winter weather event that affected most of the United States, particularly east of the Rocky Mountains. On February 11, Swift Current in present-day Saskatchewan reported a record-high barometric pressure of.

Temperatures and records

For the 1895–2017 period of record:
  • February 1899 was the second-coldest February in the contiguous U.S.. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than February 1936.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the third-coldest meteorological winter in the contiguous U.S., with the coldest winter occurring in 1978–79 and the second-coldest in 1935–36. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the 1978–79 winter.
  • February 1899 was the coldest February in Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming.
  • February 1899 was the second-coldest February in Arkansas, Colorado, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.
The following low temperatures occurred during the last ten days of January and the first three weeks of February. The climate regions are defined by the National Centers for Environmental Information.

Northeast

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Northeast climate region:
  • February 1899 was the 18th-coldest February. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest February of 1934.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the 24th-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1917–18.

[Connecticut]

Equal 16th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Delaware]

Ninth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Maine]

28th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Maryland]

Eighth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Massachusetts]

25th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[New Hampshire]

33rd-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[New Jersey]

Eleventh-coldest February, 1895–2017.

New York">New York (state)">New York

Equal 25th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Pennsylvania]

Twelfth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Rhode Island]

Fourteenth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

[Vermont]

37th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Northern Rockies and Plains

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Northern Rockies and Plains climate region:
  • February 1899 was the second-coldest February, behind only 1936. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than February 1936.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the eighth-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1978–79.

[Montana]

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Nebraska

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

North Dakota

Fourth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

South Dakota

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Wyoming

Coldest February, 1895–2017.

Northwest

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Northwest climate region:
  • February 1899 was the 13th-coldest February. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest February of 1929.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the 19th-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1948–49.

Idaho

Nineteenth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Oregon

Fourteenth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Washington

Equal eleventh-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Ohio Valley

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Ohio Valley climate region:
  • February 1899 was the equal third-coldest February alongside 1905, with the coldest being 1978 and the second-coldest 1895. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than February 1978.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the ninth-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1977–78.

Illinois

Sixth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Indiana

Equal seventh-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Kentucky

Third-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Missouri

Coldest February, 1895–2017.

Ohio

Tenth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Tennessee

Fourth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

West Virginia

Eighth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

South

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the South climate region:
  • February 1899 was the second-coldest February behind only 1905. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than February 1905.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 is tied with 1904–05 for the coldest meteorological winter of all time. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of.

Arkansas

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Kansas

Coldest February, 1895–2017.

Louisiana

Fourth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Mississippi

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Oklahoma

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Texas

Third-coldest February, 1895–2018.

Southeast

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Southeast climate region:
  • February 1899 was the seventeenth-coldest February. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest February of 1895.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the 21st-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1976–77.

Alabama

Fifth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

District of Columbia

Florida

51st-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Georgia

Equal 22nd-coldest February, 1895–2017.

North Carolina

Twelfth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

South Carolina

20th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Virginia

Equal sixth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Southwest

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Southwest climate region:
  • February 1899 was the tenth-coldest February. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest February of 1903.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the third-coldest meteorological winter, with the coldest winter being that of 1932–33 and the second-coldest that of 1948–49. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than 1932–33.

Arizona

37th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Colorado

Second-coldest February, 1895–2017.

New Mexico

Equal ninth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Utah

26th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Upper Midwest

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the Upper Midwest climate region:
  • February 1899 is tied with 1917 for the third-coldest February, with the coldest occurring in 1936 and the second-coldest in 1904. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than February 1936.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the seventh-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1935–36.

Iowa

Third-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Michigan

Equal fifth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Minnesota

Fifth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Wisconsin

Fourth-coldest February, 1895–2017.

West

For the 1895–2017 period of record in the West climate region:
  • February 1899 was the 48th-coldest February. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest February of 1903.
  • December 1898 through February 1899 was the 38th-coldest meteorological winter. The average temperature was, which was colder than the 1895–2017 average of and warmer than the coldest winter of 1948–49.

California

47th-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Nevada

52nd-coldest February, 1895–2017.

Winter weather

On February 12, snow flurries were reported in the air from some areas from New Orleans eastward to Tampa. The storm crossed the Florida peninsula and intensified as it moved rapidly up the east coast. High Point, North Carolina recorded of snow. Washington, D.C. recorded a single-day snowfall of, which was a record for the time.
On February 19, ice floes were reported to be moving out of the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico. On February 14, New Orleans dropped to, an all-time record. The previous day, the city experienced its coldest-ever Mardi Gras low temperature of. The Rex parade was delayed while snow was removed from the route.
The low temperature in Miami, Florida on February 14 dropped to with a high of only. The city has only recorded a lower temperature twice since record-keeping commenced on September 6, 1895.

Casualties, damages, and inconveniences

The Great Arctic Outbreak of 1899 had disastrous impact across many areas of the continental U.S. and Cuba as people, livestock, and wildlife succumbed to the frigid cold. Bird populations were decimated across the nation. Henderson County, Tennessee saw nearly the complete extinction of its bluebird population, while Culpeper County alongside most northern and central Virginia counties lost nearly all of its quail, having to import new birds in the late teens and 1920s to repopulate the areas. Pine Warblers were also especially decimated.
Some of the bird species affected:
It has been estimated that over 100 people died. In Brooklyn, 31 year-old Mary Goodwin was frozen to death and a thinly clad, unidentified woman in The Dalles, Oregon was found frozen to death in a hallway in an attempt to find warmth. Mail carriers Palmer and Hawkins of New York were thought to have drowned attempting to deliver the mail. It is believed that their boat, overturned by the high winds, was crushed by the floating ice.
In Georgia, crops were ruined and orchards utterly destroyed. The majority of wheat at Walla Walla, Washington was frozen out, with Eureka Flat seeing the most damage.
Traffic was brought to a complete standstill in all parts of the country. Barges on the Mississippi river, which was in some parts entirely frozen through, and the Great Lakes were brought to a complete standstill by ice. Traffic across all railroads were delayed or paralyzed indefinitely and steamers and liners were likewise delayed.