Wilmington shatters long-time record low temperature

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The same Arctic front that brought brief snow flurries to southeastern North Carolina also set the stage for record-breaking cold.

High pressure of Arctic origins swept across the Cape Fear Thursday. That provided clear skies ideal for radiational cooling overnight. Temperatures tanked into the teens by midnight and fell even more through sunrise. After several hours of cooling, Wilmington International Airport recorded 13 degrees. That broke the long-time coastal record low of 19 set in 1896.

The bitter cold combined with northwesterly winds also produced dangerous wind chills in the single digits to below zero. For that reason, many schools operated on a later schedule.

The StormTrack3 Weather Team is forecasting warmer temperatures this weekend ahead of our next rainmaker. Follow WWAY on Facebook and Twitter for the numbers.