DENVER, COLORADO — September can still feel like summer, but history shows it can also turn downright cold. AccuWeather, using data from NOAA ACIS dating back to the 1800s, has compiled the coldest temperature ever recorded during September in cities across the country, and the numbers reveal just how dramatically the month can swing. If you’re wondering how your own city stacks up, this list breaks down the record cold snaps that have hit communities from Anchorage to Miami.
Denver and the Rockies Hold Some of the Coldest September Records in the Country
If you’re in Denver, your city’s coldest September reading ever recorded sits at a bone-chilling 17 degrees, set on September 29, 1985, the single coldest number on this entire list outside of Alaska. Nearby Salt Lake City isn’t far behind with a record low of 27 degrees set September 18, 1965. These readings show that even mile-high and mountain-adjacent cities, used to seeing warm, sunny September afternoons, have had their share of shockingly early cold snaps.
Billings, Rapid City and Boise Show the Northern Plains Can Freeze Fast
Across the Northern Plains and Intermountain West, the cold records get even more extreme. Rapid City, South Dakota, recorded a record low of just 18 degrees on September 24, 1985, the same week Denver hit its own record. Billings, Montana, followed close behind at 22 degrees on September 24, 1984, while Boise, Idaho, saw its coldest September reading of 23 degrees back on September 14, 1970. If you’re anywhere across this stretch of the country, these records are a reminder that an early-season arctic blast is always a possibility even in what’s typically still a warm-weather month.
Minneapolis and Burlington Represent the Upper Midwest and New England’s Cold Extremes
Minneapolis holds a record September low of 26 degrees, set September 22, 1974, while all the way across the country in Burlington, Vermont, the record sits at 25 degrees, set September 24, 1963. If you’re in either of these communities, both readings show just how quickly a true fall chill, well below freezing, can arrive even before the calendar reaches October.
Chicago and Kansas City Show the Midwest’s Coldest September Snaps
Chicago’s coldest September temperature on record is 29 degrees, set September 23, 1995, while Kansas City recorded its own record low of 31 degrees just one day earlier, on September 22, 1995, during that same historic cold outbreak. If you’re anywhere across the Midwest, this pair of records shows how a single powerful cold front back in the mid-1990s left its mark on cities hundreds of miles apart within the same 24-hour stretch.
Boston, New York and Philadelphia Have All Dipped Into the 30s
Along the Northeast corridor, Boston’scoldest September reading is 34 degrees, set all the way back on September 29, 1914. New York City followed with a record low of 39 degrees on September 30, 1912, while Philadelphia recorded 35 degrees on September 25, 1963. Farther south, Washington, D.C., hit its own record low of 36 degrees on September 23, 1904. If you’re anywhere along this stretch of the East Coast, these century-old records show that even the region’s biggest cities have flirted with a hard freeze before September’s end.
Atlanta, Nashville and Raleigh Prove the Southeast Isn’t Immune to Cold Snaps
Even in the Southeast, September has delivered some genuinely chilly surprises. Atlanta’s coldest September reading is 36 degrees, set September 30, 1967, matching Nashville’s own record low of 36 degreesfrom September 24, 1983. Raleigh, North Carolina, recorded a slightly milder but still frosty 37 degrees on September 23, 1983. If you’re in any of these Southern cities, these records are a good reminder that fall’s first real chill can arrive earlier than expected.
Oklahoma City and Dallas Have Both Dropped Into the 30s and 40s
Across the South Central US, Oklahoma City’s coldest September temperature on record is 35 degrees, set all the way back on September 26, 1912. Dallas followed with a record low of 40 degrees on September 27, 1942, the same date Houston hit its own record of 45 degrees. If you’re anywhere across Texas or Oklahoma, these numbers show that even in typically warm, humid September weather, a sharp cold front has occasionally broken through.
Seattle, Portland and Los Angeles Show the West Coast’s Milder Cold Extremes
Out on the West Coast, Seattle’s coldest September reading sits at 35 degrees, set September 27, 1972, with Portland, Oregon, close behind at 34 degrees from September 17, 1965. Farther south, Los Angelesrecorded a comparatively mild record low of 47 degrees on September 26, 1948, matching Phoenix’s own record of 47 degrees set September 21, 1965. If you’re anywhere along the West Coast or Desert Southwest, these numbers show just how much milder even a “record cold” September night can be compared to the interior of the country.
Miami, Tampa and Honolulu Show Just How Warm a Record Low Can Be
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the warmest “coldest” readings on this entire list belong to the country’s most tropical cities. Tampa’s record September low is 54 degrees, set all the way back on September 22, 1897, while Miami’s record sits even higher at 62 degrees, set September 29, 1903. Honolulu tops the entire list at 64 degrees, a record set relatively recently on September 22, 2019. If you’re in any of these cities, a “record cold” September night is still what most of the country would call a pleasant, mild evening.
Anchorage Sits Alone With the Coldest September Record in the Country
Finally, Anchorage, Alaska, holds the coldest overall record on this list at just 19 degrees, set September 24, 1992. If you’re in Anchorage, this record is a reminder that September in Alaska operates on an entirely different scale than the rest of the country, where winter-caliber cold can arrive well before autumn even officially begins elsewhere.
