It Was so Cold in Missouri in 1977-78, Temperatures Averaged 24.3 Degrees All Winter Long

A Missouri winter can certainly be a mixed bag, but there’s one thing we can usually be assured of. We’ll experience some downright frigid days that keep us counting down until spring. Missouri generally averages 110 days of temperatures that dip below 32 degrees each winter. However, two winters were so cold that it barely made it to freezing all winter, tying for the coldest winter in Missouri.

Missourians are used to the cold, but two winters stand out as the coldest in Missouri’s history. Both the winter of 1904-05 and 1977-78 were so cold that temperatures averaged 24.3 degrees Fahrenheit all season. Before the 1977-78 winter, Missouri experienced its coldest month on record, to date. January 1977 posted an average daily temperature of just 13.6 degrees. The average high came in at 22.6 with an average low of 4.6. That Missouri winter set several records, including the record for the most snowfall in a season, tallying 54.4 inches.

Statistics from the Missouri Climate Center show that the 1970s saw three of the coldest winters in Missouri’s history. The cold streak began during the winter of 1976-77 (the fifth coldest winter on record) and continued through 1978-79 (the third coldest winter on record).

While those winters were downright frigid, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Missouri occurred in Warsaw on Feb. 13, 1905. The temperature dipped to negative 40 degrees.

Just a few years later, during the winter of 1982-83, Missouri saw its smallest snowfall – just four inches – in recorded history. It wasn’t until 1983 that Missouri would break another record with the coldest December in history. Temperatures that December averaged 17.6 degrees. Average snowfall annually depends on in which area of Missouri you live.

Even if the temperatures don't dip that low during winter in Missouri this year, it's important to be prepared. Make sure you have emergency supplies - a scraper, a shovel, a blanket, extra phone chargers, and water and snacks - in your car at all times, and get your tires checked before the season begins.

The Missouri weather year-round can be a bit finicky. We've even experienced a taste of all four seasons in a single day, which keeps us on our toes. I've learned that if I wake up to freezing temperatures I should probably wear layers because, by afternoon, it might feel like summer.

If you’re up for a bit of cold weather fun, even though it might not be as cold as the winter of 1977-78, plan a visit to one of the snowiest towns in Missouri. When it's not too cold, a Missouri winter is simply enchanting, with so many activities from snow tubing to ice skating.

A Missouri winter is also perfect for exploring some of the best hiking trails. Just make sure you bundle up before heading out.