ROCHESTER, NEW YORK — Rochester, New York experienced a historically severe cold spell at the end of January, with newly analyzed temperature data confirming that the January 24–30 period in 2026 was the coldest such stretch ever recorded in the city. The seven-day window delivered a mean average temperature of just 8.9 degrees, officially breaking a long-standing record that had remained untouched since 1935.
Meteorologists reviewing the data say the milestone is significant not just for how cold it was, but for what it represents — a level of sustained Arctic cold that most living residents have never experienced before.
Historic Data Confirms Coldest January 24–30 Period Ever Recorded
According to the compiled rankings shown in the data, the January 24–30, 2026 period now ranks first overall for coldest mean temperatures during that late-January window. The previous record-holder was January 24–30, 1935, which recorded a mean average temperature of 9.7 degrees.
That means this year’s cold spell beat the previous benchmark by nearly one full degree, a notable margin in climatological terms. Other historically cold years — including 1961, 1963, and 1948 — all ranked behind 2026, with mean averages ranging from 9.8 to 10.4 degrees…