Just How Cold Does It Get in Michigan?

You know it's starting to get cold in Michigan when you officially have to turn on the heat. It's kind of along the same lines when you have to break out your big, warm, puffy coat.

These are signs that winter is well on its way.

While winter doesn't officially begin until December 21st, we will feel the winter-like temperatures and conditions well before then. But how cold it will be changes each year.

Read Related: The Unwritten Rules of Driving in Michigan Snowstorms

Sure, there are some signs that can tell you how harsh winter can be. However, one of the most telling signs can be how cold it's been in the past.

Michigan sees its lowest temperatures between January and March. On average, the Mitten State will temperatures range from the upper teens to the upper 20s. And keep in mind... that's just the average, and not at all how cold it can actually get in Michigan. Not to mention windchill...

Even without windchill, there's one place in Michigan that got downright frigid.

The Coldest Temperature Ever Recorded in Michigan

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Michigan was in Vanderbilt was back on February 9th in 1934.

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It got all the way down to -51 F that day. Keep in mind... that's 83 degrees below freezing.

Here's the thing, -51 is pretty darn cold. And while it's the coldest temperature in Michigan's history, it's not the coldest one in America. There are 11 states that have a colder low temperature than Michigan, check it out below.