Coldest Cities in United States by Number of Annual Below Zero Temperature Days

The following is a list of the coldest cities in the United States by the number of below zero temperature days each city averages annually. Only large cities are listed, each city on the list has at least one million people living in its metro area.

That leaves out a city like Anchorage, Alaska, which would probably be number one on this list if included. There are a number of smaller cities that would make this list if not for the population rule, but the majority of people are mainly, and often times solely, interested in the weather in the big cities in the United States.

As you will see below, six out of the ten cities on this list have a major specific geographical commonality. Any idea what it is? (Hint: it involves water)

Coldest Cities in United States by Number of Annual Below Zero Days

1. Minneapolis, Minnesota - 23 days

Minneapolis, Minnesota averages 23 days a year when the temperature drops to zero or below. That easily leads this list of major United States cities that have the most days annually of zero or below zero temperature readings.

Based upon average monthly temperatures, the state of Minnesota is the fourth coldest state in the United States. None of the three states that are colder than Minnesota; Alaska, North Dakota, and Maine, have a city with a large enough metro area population to make this list.

T-2. Chicago, Illinois - 7 days

Chicago, Illinois is tied for second on this list of average annual number of days with temperature readings at or below zero with seven.

I was in Chicago once in May for a Cubs baseball game, and the temperature at Wrigley Field went from about 72 degrees at the start of the game to 40 degrees by the seventh inning. That was shocking to this baseball fan dressed in shorts and a t-shirt.

T-2. Denver, Colorado - 7 days

Denver, Colorado also averages seven days a year with zero or below zero temperatures. If you look at the daily weather temperature records for Denver, though, the city has some of the most variable weather you will ever see.

While it can get really cold in Denver in the winter, it can also get into the 60s and 70s in January and February with some regularity.

T-2. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 7 days

The third major city in the United States that averages seven days each year of zero or below zero weather temperatures is Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Not a big surprise, as the state of Wisconsin is the eighth coldest state in the country by average monthly temperatures.

T-5. Detroit, Michigan - 4 days

The Motor City of Detroit, Michigan averages four days per year when the temperature hits zero or below.

T-5. Rochester, New York - 4 days

I was born in Upstate New York, and it can get really cold in the state once you get a little north of New York City. So it is no surprise that Rochester, which is over 300 miles northwest of New York City, makes this list.

T-5. Indianapolis, Indiana - 4 days

Seeing Indianapolis, Indiana on this list is a bit of a surprise to me. Indianapolis has the highest daily mean temperature average of any city on the list (52.5 degrees).

T-8. Buffalo, New York - 3 days

Since it is in Upstate New York, seeing Buffalo on this list is no surprise. The capital city of New York State, Albany, would probably also make this list, but its metro area population is a bit too small.

T-8. Cleveland, Ohio - 3 days

Cleveland, Ohio is the sixth city on this list that is located along one of the Great Lakes. I believe that is called a trend, and it is the major specific geographical commonality mentioned above the list.

T-8. Hartford, Connecticut - 3 days

Hartford, Connecticut rounds out the list of the ten largest cities in the United states that average the most days annually with zero or below temperatures.