In light of the deep freeze gripping the midwest, I became curious as to the coldest temperature ever recorded in the state of Colorado.

It's beyond cold. Before I get to what that amazingly cold temperature was, take a look at the ones being reported in places like Chicago, where, with windchill, it got to -23, or Minneapolis, where -25 temperatures were reported with windchill.

Which brings us to the coldest temperature ever recorded in Colorado's history. Amazingly enough, it's rather recent.

On February 1, 1985, in the town of Maybell, in Moffat County, the temperature dipped to -61 degrees.

That's 61 below zero, without a mention of wind chill.

Comparatively speaking, the temperatures being recorded in the midwest are mild. When it's -61 you hope it warms up to -23.

What happens to you when it gets that cold? The colder the body gets, the slower everything becomes, including the heart. The longer a person is exposed to the cold, the worse it becomes. Skin, bones, and tendons can freeze if exposed too long in temperatures such as those.

Your best bet against frostbite and hypothermia is to stay inside, stay warm and wait it out.

The tiny town of Maybell knows how to survive it.

More From Kool 107.9