The greatest snow of the hard winter of 1740-41 was recorded near Hartford, Connecticut.

President Grant signed a measure establishing a Federal Meteorological Service which was later assigned to the United States Army Signal Service to organize and operate. Observations began on November 1, 1870.

The temperature at Moran, Wyoming plunged to 63 degrees below zero to establish a state record. The temperature at the Riverside Ranger Station in Montana dipped to 66 degrees below zero to establish a record for the state and a record for the nation which lasted until 1954.

It was the coldest recent morning in the Northeast with readings of 14 degrees below zero at New York City and 17 degrees below zero at Boston. State records were set when the thermometer at Stillwater Reservoir, New York dropped to 52 degrees below zero and the temperature at Vanderbilt, Michigan fell to 51 degrees below zero.

The so-called "Lindsay Storm" pounded the northeastern U.S. Bedford, Massachusetts recorded 25 inches of snow, New York City had 20 inches, and Portland, Maine ended up with 22 inches. The storm got it's name from New York Mayor John Lindsay who ran into political misfortune after sections of New York City remained unplowed for a week after the storm.

A severe blizzard struck Cape Cod. Chatham, Massachusetts recorded 23 inches of snow with winds gusting to 80 mph. For a time during the storm Nantucket Island was without power. This was the worst blizzard to hit Cape Cod since 1960.