The record from 1893 will go away if we fail to get to 14 degrees on Sunday.
Just when you thought it was time to "Think Spring," Old Man Winter has more up his sleeve. A significant blast of Arctic air is inbound for the weekend and early next week with cold air that is expected to break at least three records.
SUNDAY:
The coldest temperature ever recorded for March 3rd is -12 degrees, set in 2014. Our present forecast indicates a low temperature of -7 degrees. So that one is a "close call."
The coldest high temperature ever recorded for March 3rd is 14 degrees, set in 1893. Our present forecast indicates a high temperature of 7 degrees. That would shatter the record by 7 degrees!
MONDAY:
The coldest temperature ever recorded for March 4th is -9 degrees, set in 2002. Our present forecast indicates a low temperature of -13 degrees, which would break the record by 4 degrees.
The coldest high temperature ever recorded for March 4th is 14 degrees, set in 1960. Our present forecast indicates a high temperature of 11 degrees, which would break the record by 3 degrees.
Forecaster's note: There were several record low temperatures set in the first week of 1960. That year went on to produce 15 inches of snow in the Quad Cities!
Having said that, there's not much snow headed in our direction for the next week or so. Wisconsin and Missouri are set to receive much more than Iowa and our part of Illinois.
-Meteorologist Eric Sorensen