The Woodford County village of Congerville has lost its distinction as the coldest place in Illinois.
The State Climate Extreme Committee unanimously voted Wednesday to validate minus 38 as the new official statewide record minimum temperature. It was set January 31 in the northwestern city of Mount Carroll.
Congerville held the previous record of minus 36, which was set on January 5, 1999.
Mount Carroll has held the record low before. The village’s minus 35 observed in January 1930 was the state’s coldest temperature until it tied with the village of Elizabeth in February 1996.
Mount Carroll has a daily observation station that has been in service since 1895. It has been observing temperatures since 1897. Staff at the city of Mount Carroll's water treatment plant operate the station.
The new record low came amid a stretch of double-digit subzero days in late January.
