In 1983, Nebraska Plunged Into An Arctic Freeze That Makes This Year’s Winter Look Downright Mild
Winter in Nebraska is rarely easy, and some years, between the ice and snow and bitter cold, it’s downright dangerous. As rough as winter usually is here, no winter has compared to that of 1983.
That year, a crazy Arctic front pushed unusually cold air across most of the country, causing dangerously low temperatures that stretched all the way to the east coast and even down to Texas.
Multiple temperature records were broken all over the country that winter. In Nebraska, the temperature dipped as low as 24 degrees below zero - and that was before taking the wind chill factor into account. All winter, winds were routinely recorded at 30-50 MPH, with gusts up to 75 MPH.
Snowstorms helped keep the temperatures low and made it almost impossible for street crews to clear the snow and ice. After the first big snowfall in late November, temperatures fell and stayed below freezing until February. There was hardly any place in the state without at least a foot of snow on the ground.
All across the state, Nebraskans took extraordinary measures to protect their safety and their property. People took the batteries out of their cars and took them inside every night to keep them from freezing up. Sinks were left on and pipes were wrapped to keep them from freezing up and bursting. Driving was extremely treacherous, but the cold and snow lasted so long that people couldn't just hole up until it passed.
Homeless shelters were filled to beyond capacity. One woman died of exposure in Omaha and several other people died as a result of traffic accidents. Utility workers were kept busy all winter helping with the various problems caused by the extreme cold. It seemed like the winter would never end.
Winter did, of course, eventually end. Temperatures finally climbed above zero nearly three months after the unusually cold weather began. Most of the low-temperature records set that year have remained in place after all these years.
Did you live in Nebraska during the insanely cold winter of 1983? How did you deal with the extreme weather? Tell us about it in the comments!
Nebraska has definitely seen its share of harsh winters and awful storms, but the blizzard of 1949 was one of the worst. Read about it here.
Address: Nebraska, USA
Nebraska In Your Inbox
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
