New Jersey’s Coldest Recorded Day Ever Was 120 Years Ago

New Jersey winters have historically been pretty frigid, but you should be very happy you weren't alive to experience its coldest day on record.

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We can all remember a few New Jersey winters that were for the books. Feet upon feet of snow and ice, days of shoveling, multiple school closings, and freezing temperatures.

But in the past two years or so, New Jersey's winters have been... underwhelming - for those who like the cold, anyway. As of January 4, 2024, it's been over two years since much of the state has seen over an inch of snow. Our snowblowers and shovels have been collecting dust in our garages.

But when New Jersey's coldest temperature on record hit, you better believe there was snow.

When and where was New Jersey's coldest recorded temp?

New Jersey's coldest recorded temperature was -34 degrees on January 5, 1904 in Rivervale, Bergen County. 120 years ago. That's older than the average winter temperature in Alaska. And that was without factoring the windchill, according to NJ.com.

According to a New Jersey State Climatologist, that morning in Rivervale saw "A deep fresh snow cover, the valley location, adjacent to a pond that was used to make ice, and a generally treeless landscape near the station all helped contribute to the excessive cold."

In fact, that same year, 1904 was New Jersey's coldest year on record! The average statewide temperature was only 47.8 degrees.

Snow or no snow, let's hope we never see a winter that cold ever again!