The record low for this date was -22F, January 30, 1951. That record was matched as recently as January 19, 1994.
The coldest reading ever in Grand Rapids was -24F, a twofer on February 13-14, 1899.
Meanwhile, Chicago's coldest temperature EVER was as recently as 1985, at -27F. It's -20F there at this hour, which will put this in the top ten lowest lows ever in Chicago.
It could be a lot worse, and has been in my lifetime.
