Nebraska is known for its wide-open prairies and hot summers, but it’s also home to some of the coldest temperatures in the country. In fact, the entire U.S. has seen temperatures drop below zero, according to data from NOAA.
The Midwest has a lot of cold records to offer, but it’s not all that different from the South or Northeast. In fact, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi and Louisiana all experienced a record-low in the past few years, while Tennessee saw its coldest temperature ever at 32 degrees below zero.
In the West, elevation makes a big difference in how cold the air is, as does being in the interior. That’s why the record for coldest temperature in the United States is 70 degrees below zero at Rogers Pass in Montana.
Temperatures in the Northeast are also very cold, with Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont all claiming negative 50 degrees as their coldest record. That’s almost 140 years ago, on January 22, 1885, at Mount Washington in New Hampshire.
There’s no reason why Nebraska can’t have its own cold record as well. But the state’s residents have to be prepared for some of the most extreme weather in the nation, and that means staying inside.
Some of the most adapted animals to the cold include bison, pronghorn and mountain lions. These large and agile creatures have fur coats that help to insulate them against the freezing cold, as well as thick layers of fat that help to maintain their body heat. They’re also able to adapt by migrating to different feeding grounds, which helps them stay warm in the wintertime.
