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REGIONAL— It was chilly but not record-setting on Thursday morning as air temperatures around the area dipped into the minus-40 degree range and colder across the North Country.
Officially, the coldest temperature of the morning was reported from the local National Weather Service observer in Cotton, who posted a minus-53 degree temperature at 6 a.m. The station later posted an even colder temperature, at minus-56 degrees, which tied the reading reported at that location on Sunday, Jan. 27.
The state climatologist had speculated that the state record of minus-60, set in 1996 in Tower, could be challenged Thursday morning under the right conditions. But barring a late report, it appears that Tower's record will remain in place, at least for now.
Other low temperature readings around the area, as reported by the National Weather Service, included:
Kabetogama, minus-50
Celina, minus-47
Brimson, minus-47
International Falls, minus-45
Tower, minus-43
Orr, minus-42
Ely airport, minus-39
Cook, minus-38