In 1985, North Carolina Plunged Into An Arctic Freeze That Makes This Year's Winter Look Downright Mild

Winter in North Carolina can bring a variety of extremes. Some years, it’s not at all unusual for it to be sixty degrees on day, and then the next day it’s freezing and snowing. This year has already ushered in some much anticipated snow to many parts of the Tar Heel State – both in places you’d expect and in others where it’s not so common. But so far this year looks downright mild compared to the arctic freeze that plunged North Carolina’s temperatures to a record low in 1985.

From January 18-22, 1985, a record-breaking arctic outbreak swept through much of the Southeastern United States, shattering records lows all the way to the state of Florida.

North Carolina's Mount Mitchell, the state's highest peak, had the lowest temperatures recorded on the entire eastern seaboard during the freeze. On the morning of January 21, 1985 the temperature on Mount Mitchell was -34 degrees.

Recording breaking low temperatures were recorded all over the state as residents dealt with the consequences of the freeze which included frozen pipes, and a elevated strain on the power grid in order to stay warm.

Residents stayed inside in much of the state, hunkered down awaiting the end of the chaos that engulfed the entire region. In the end, a tragic 126 deaths would be blamed on the weather event.

Asheville's lowest temperature during the freeze dipped down to -17 degrees. In what was dubbed "the freeze of the century," no part of the Tar Heel State was left untouched.

On the outer banks, where average temperatures in the month of January are typically around 45 degrees, it would take several days to thaw out after the great freeze was over. (The Christmas snow of 1989 would go on to break some of the 1985 record lows along the North Carolina coast.)

The arctic freeze of 1985 broke records all over the Southeast. Numerous record lows were broken across the state of North Carolina. Do you remember the “freeze of the century?” On another note, North Carolina’s snowiest town, Beech Mountain, is waking up this morning to six new inches of snow. Did you get any new snow where you are?

To refresh your memory on the 2018 winter weather predictions from the Farmers’ Almanac, read on.

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In 1985, North Carolina Plunged Into An Arctic Freeze That Makes This Year's Winter Look Downright Mild

Robin Jarvis

Author

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