Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester area failed to set a new record, but this morning was the coldest it has been in almost 8 years.

The National Weather Service is reporting the unofficial low Sunday morning was 25 degrees below zero. That’s 35 degrees colder than normal and it was the coldest reading at the Rochester Airport since January 16th, 2009 when the mercury bottomed out at -26. The record low temperature for December 18th was set in 1983 at 31-degrees below zero.

The wind chill readings early Sunday morning were well into danger zone and ranged from the upper 30s to the mid 40s below zero.

Low temperatures in the upper teens and low 20’s below zero were common across the region Sunday morning. Byron matched Rochester by hitting -25 and the mercury hit 27 below zero in Owatonna. It appears the small town of Theilman was the coldest spot in southeastern Minnesota. The National Weather Service received a report from the Wabasha County community that the mercury had fallen to -29.

Much warmer air is headed into the region. Forecasters are predicting a high temperature of around 20 degrees in Rochester on Monday and the mercury could reach the low 30’s on Tuesday, although strong winds are also forecast to keep “feels like” reading below zero.

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