Cold snaps are often part of life in North America. Some reach the status of legend such as the cold snaps of 1899, 1936, the late 1970s, or December 1983. The one in December 1983 brought the coldest December on record for Omaha. Just 6 years later, another brutal cold snap in December 1989 would freeze the nation. Albeit not as long-lasting as the one in 1983, it was more intense in terms of cold.