January is traditionally the coldest time of the year across the United States. The coldest temperatures drop around the midpoint of winter which is February 2, Groundhog Day.
The coldest temperature in the United States was recorded on January 23, 1971 in Prospect, Alaska at -80 degrees. You expect the states to the north of the lower 48 to give you goosebumps.
Our area's lowest temperature was set on January 19, 1994 at the National Weather Service office in Vienna at -22. That same day the NWS official spotter in Millport, located in southern Columbiana County to the northwest of East Liverpool, recorded -34 degrees.
However, Ohio's lowest temperature statewide was set on February 10, 1899 south of Zainesville in southern Ohio. Milligan reported -39 degrees.
Ohio is the 26th warmest state in the U.S. at 50.68 degrees. The coldest location ranked by the lowest average annual temperature is Chardon in northeast Ohio at 47.8 degrees. Youngstown's average is just above that at 48.8.
