Posted in Tennessee Fun Facts, History, State Pride December 27, 2022 by Chris Dodge

It Was So Cold In Tennessee In 1899, Temperatures Stayed Below Freezing For 9 Days

When people from up north hear us Tennesseans talk about the winter they tend to roll their eyes. We get it — we live in the South and Tennessee winters are very mild for the most part. Except when they’re not. The coldest winter in Tennessee took place in 1899 and wow, was it rough!

Winter in Nashville is usually pretty mild, but in 1899 it was a completely different story.

In 1899, a massive cold front swept through the state causing temperatures to drop below freezing and stay that way for nine consecutive days.

That might not seem too rough, but for Tennessee, that was a big departure from the norm.

In 1918, there was an eight-day streak of temperatures below freezing that stopped just short of tying the record set in 1899.

Then we experienced 43 years till the next contender broke into the top five records.

We came close that year to beating out the infamous winter of 1899, but it still holds the frozen crown. Our southern blood is thankful for that, too!

The coldest Tennessee winter is behind us, way behind us, but we can be thankful for where we live. With a light snowfall in the colder months and a mild temperature, we are happy to be right in the middle. However, that doesn’t stop us from enjoying the winter it just makes it better. There is a lovely cabin in Erwin that is cozy and perfect for a winter getaway.

Address: Nashville, TN, USA

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