The brutally frigid weather that has gripped most of the country for the past 11 days is not unprecedented — it just feels that way. The first quarter of the 21st century was unusually warm by historical standards, so a prolonged cold spell this winter is unfamiliar to many people, especially younger people. According to weather experts, because bone-shattering cold occurs less frequently, people are experiencing it more intensely now than they did in the past. Nevertheless, the longer the current icy blast lasts and the longer sub-freezing temperatures are forecast to stick around in many places, the easier it should become to tolerate. We adapt and get used to things. That’s why Day 1 of a cold snap is much more of a shock to the system than Day 20 is. Data from more than 240 weather stations found that spells of subfreezing temperatures have become less widespread and haven’t last as long — until this year. Only 33 of these weather stations have recorded enough subzero temperatures since the start of 2026 to be in the top 10% of the coldest first 32 days of any year over the past century. Climate scientists say it’s quite possible that for anybody under the age of 30, this may well be the coldest weather of their life.
