1966: The most intense cold arctic outbreak to strike southern states

The most intense cold arctic outbreak to strike the southern states in modern times plunged into that region on January 29 1966 and by the morning of January 30 set record unrivaled in the history of the region before or since. The mercury in Corinth. Mississippi dipped to 19 below zero the lowest in state history. New Market, Alabama reached a morning reading of 27 below also a state record. In Greensboro, North Carolina the afternoon temperature reached just 13 the lowest high temp ever seen. Many homes were not insulated for that kind of cold and water pipes burst all across the deep south – in some places it took weeks to restore the water. Many automobiles and trucks did not have proper ant-freeze and engine blocks froze and where ruined. The cold made it into Florida and significantly damaged the citrus crops there. This cold air had swing into the region behind a massive storm that was moving up the eastern seaboard and as the cold gained form control in the south in the wake of the storm up the east coast heavy snow was falling that would reach deeps of 10” of more in Philadelphia and Harrisburg and as much as 20” in and around Washington DC.

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