I remember winter 1956-57 in Iowa City. Eight am temperatures for a week ranged from minus 24 to minus 27f, with mid day temps around 21f below 0. I also spent a summer there with daytime temps from 105 to 107, with nights at 93f, with no AC. UGG!! Has it been that bad in recent years?
Here in Toronto it hasn’t been this bad since 1997, when we went for about a month and a half with highs never getting above -15C (~10F). Since the new year we had one short break last week where it went above freezing for a couple of days but it looks like at least a couple of weeks before that happens again. Usually by the beginning of March it gets above freezing most days but it’s shaping up to be a late spring this year.