How cold was it today in Massachusetts? These towns saw sub-zero temperatures.
BOSTON – It's been a frigid week in Massachusetts, with temperatures in many communities dipping below zero degrees. But just how cold did it get on Wednesday?
A polar vortex has brought frigid temperatures to New England and beyond this week.
As WBZ-TV's Jacob Wycoff explained earlier this winter, the polar vortex is like a giant, swirling pool of super-cold air in the upper atmosphere over the North Pole.
How cold in Boston?
While this week has been frigid, it hasn't been record-setting. In Boston, the low temperature was 10 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday. That didn't come close to the city's record-low for this date, which was -3 degrees.
WBZ-TV executive weather producer Terry Eliasen said that in Massachusetts, there have been plenty of recent outbreaks with temperatures near or worse than the current conditions.
In February 2023, Boston hit -10 degrees. As a result of that cold snap, many farms in Massachusetts lost fruit trees.
"There really isn't anything historic about this cold," Eliasen said about this week's temperatures.
Where was it coldest in Massachusetts?
Here are the coldest temperatures recorded in Massachusetts on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service and Rob Macedo, the SKYWARN Coordinator for the National Weather Service in Taunton. All temperatures are recorded in Fahrenheit.
West Hawley: -25 degrees (Chickley River Valley)
Cummington - Swift River: -23
Belchertown: -20 (Second report: -15)
Colrain: -20 (Second report: -17, third report: -15)
Ashfield: -21
Cummington: -19
Northampton - Leeds: -18
South Worthington: -18
Orange: -17
Montague: -17
Ashburnham: -17
Athol: -17
Buckland: -16
Chesterfield: -15 (Second report: -13)
Petersham: -15
Barre: -15
North Ashburnham: -15
North Greenfield: -14
Easthampton: -14
Dunstable: -14
West Brookfield: -14
Huntington: -13
Turners Falls: -13
North Leverett: -13
Wendell: -13
North Hadley: -13
Pepperell: -13
Heath: -13
Lancaster: -13
Gardner: -12
Gill: -12
Sunderland: -12
Monson: -12
Shirley: -12
Hardwick: -12
Greenfield: -11
West Holyoke: -11
Blandford: -11
Southwick: -11 (Second report: -7)
Tyngsborough: -11
Boston: 10
After another freezing start to the day on Thursday, temperatures are likely to start getting more seasonable by the weekend.