A strong area of deepening low pressure moved up the Ohio Valley on January 5th. This low moved across northwestern Pennsylvania early on the 6th and then continued rapidly northeast. At the same time, arctic high pressure settled over the Great Plains resulting in a very strong pressure gradient over the Upper Ohio Valley. Strong west to northwest winds ushered in an unusually cold and dangerous airmass and resulted in the coldest temperatures in northwestern Pennsylvania since January 1994. Record low temperatures and unprecedented wind chills were reported throughout the region on both January 6th and 7th. Sustained west to northwest winds were as high as 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph on the 6th. By daybreak on the 7th, sustained winds had dropped to 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 mph but this provided only slight relief from the brutal wind chills. Temperatures during the evening of the 5th were in the 40s across all of western Pennsylvania. By daybreak on the 6th, readings were in the teens or lower 20s with readings finally dropping below zero late in the afternoon.  Wind chills dropped below negative 25 by late afternoon and eventually bottomed out around -35.  Wind chills finally warmed above minus 25 during the early afternoon hours of the 7th.  New records lows of -9 and -10 were established at Erie International Airport on the 6th and 7th.  Low temperatures at the Meadville Airport on the 6th and 7th were -13 and -13.  High temperatures on the 7th were only in the lower single digits above zero.   All schools in the area were closed on both the 6th and 7th.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in CRAWFORD, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-14 16:00:00 to 07-JAN-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Brutal cold weather settled over the area on January 6th and 7th. The coldest temperatures since January 1994 were reported with lows of minus 10 or colder on both the 6th and 7th. Low temperatures at the Meadville Airport on the 6th and 7th were -13 and -13. Wind chills dipped below minus 25 degrees by late afternoon on the 6th and then continued for almost 24 hours.  Sustained west to northwest winds were as high as 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph. All of the schools in the area were closed on both the 6th and 7th.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in NORTHERN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-14 16:00:00 to 07-JAN-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Brutal cold weather settled over the area on January 6th and 7th. The coldest temperatures since January 1994 were reported with lows of minus 10 or colder on both the 6th and 7th. Low temperatures at Erie International Airport on the 6th and 7th were -9 and -10. Wind chills dipped below minus 25 degrees by late afternoon on the 6th and then continued for almost 24 hours.  Sustained west to northwest winds were as high as 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph. All of the schools in the area were closed on both the 6th and 7th.

Extreme Cold/Wind Chill in SOUTHERN ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA
From 06-JAN-14 16:00:00 to 07-JAN-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Official NWS Observations

Brutal cold weather settled over the area on January 6th and 7th. The coldest temperatures since January 1994 were reported with lows of minus 10 or colder on both the 6th and 7th.  Wind chills dipped below minus 25 degrees by late afternoon on the 6th and then continued for almost 24 hours. Sustained west to northwest winds were as high as 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph. All of the schools in the area were closed on both the 6th and 7th.