30 years later: Indiana’s record-cold morning in January 1994
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Jan. 19, 1994, holds the distinction for many people in central Indiana as the coldest morning on record.
This seems very fitting considering some of the temperatures the Hoosier state has seen to start this week, even though it pales in comparison to 30 years ago.
Indianapolis recorded an all-time record low of -27 degrees F (-33 Celsius) for the city on Jan. 19, 1994. New Whiteland would measure an Indiana state record low temperature of -36 F (-38 C). Both these records still stand.
Retired meteorologist Randy Ollis mentioned in 2023 that the record-cold morning of 1994 was the most memorable event he’s covered in his 39 years at WISH-TV.
Randy remembered, “I got into work early that morning and the weather watchers started calling in. What is going on?”
Why this happened
It all started with fresh snow that fell on Jan. 16-17, 1994 which added up to 7.9 inches in Indianapolis. That snowpack would play a crucial role in dropping the temperatures to the extremes they did on Jan. 19.
An arctic high-pressure system moved into the Midwest and combined with calm winds, clear skies, and that fresh snow; radiational cooling took over.
