America's Coldest Cities (That You've Heard Of)

Minneapolis averages a January mean of 16°F, making it the coldest large city in the Lower 48. Cold here means dry, bright, and bitter — the kind of cold that freezes eyelashes in a minute.

Anchorage is comparable in January (average 18°F) but its cold is different. It's cloudier, wetter, and comes with only a few hours of daylight. Summers there are cool rather than hot — a July high of 66°F.

Buffalo isn't as cold in raw temperature (January average 26°F) but the lake-effect snow gives it a harsher practical winter than warmer numbers suggest.