Coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years expected as polar vortex invades America
Frigid arctic air caused by the polar vortex is plunging temperatures for millions of Americans, including those attending the inauguration for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance. Winds are forecast to be between 20 and 30 mph, dropping feels-like temperatures to around 14 degrees with the wind chill on Monday.
Coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years expected
An Arctic airmass has across Washington, D.C. ahead of what will likely be the coldest Inauguration Day in 40 years. Prolonged freezing conditions for the nation's capital are expected to last through most of the workweek.
WASHINGTON – President-elect Donald Trump's second inauguration marked the coldest presidential ceremony in more than 40 years. Washington only reached the mid-20s by noon, along with gusty winds.
Trump's second non-consecutive inaugural ceremony, on Monday, was moved indoors due to the cold, wind and snow that have invaded the Washington metro area.
Frigid arctic air caused by the polar vortex is plunging temperatures for millions of Americans, including those attending the inauguration for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
![Members of the military walk towards a vehicle blocking a street as snow falls in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2025, one day before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump.]()
Image 1 of 4Members of the military walk towards a vehicle blocking a street as snow falls in Washington, DC, on January 19, 2025, one day before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. (Photo by ANGELA WEISS / AFP) (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) ( )
![Attendees stand in the snow outside a rally with US President-elect Donald Trump, not pictured, at Capital One Arena ahead of the 60th presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.]()
Image 2 of 4Attendees stand in the snow outside a rally with US President-elect Donald Trump, not pictured, at Capital One Arena ahead of the 60th presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. Monday's presidential inauguration promises to be one of the coldest on record, prompting US officials to move the ceremony indoors to the Capitol Rotunda. Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
![An attendee takes a photo while standing in the snow outside a rally with US President-elect Donald Trump, not pictured, at Capital One Arena ahead of the 60th presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025.]()
Image 3 of 4An attendee takes a photo while standing in the snow outside a rally with US President-elect Donald Trump, not pictured, at Capital One Arena ahead of the 60th presidential inauguration in Washington, DC, US, on Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025. Monday's presidential inauguration promises to be one of the coldest on record, prompting US officials to move the ceremony indoors to the Capitol Rotunda. Photographer: Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg via Getty Images ( )
![An American flag is held in the snow outside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC.]()
Image 4 of 4An American flag is held in the snow outside the U.S. Capitol Building on January 19, 2025 in Washington, DC. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance will be sworn in on January 20. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) ( )
According to the FOX Forecast Center, Monday's high was 25 degrees and the low will be around 13 degrees.
For the Monday afternoon ceremony, winds were forecast to be between 20 and 30 mph, dropping feels-like temperatures to around 14 degrees with the wind chill.
The 47th President of the United States said he did not regret moving his ceremony indoors.
"I said, ‘Oh, look at this beautiful sunny day. We blew it. We blew it.’ And then I went outside and we were freezing. You would have been very unhappy. The sun was very deceptive. I will tell you, it is cold out," Trump said.
(FOX Weather)
The last time temperatures were lower for a presidential swearing-in ceremony happened in 1985 for President Ronald Reagan, whose ceremony was also moved indoors.
HOW A REALLY BAD WINTER DELAYED GEORGE WASHINGTON’S INAUGURATION DAY BY OVER A MONTH
(FOX Weather)
Snow fell on Sunday across Washington, although temperatures hovering near freezing in the afternoon prevented major snow accumulation.
Trump's second inauguration is only the third ceremony to be moved indoors due to weather since 1909. President William H. Taft's inauguration was also moved to the Senate Chamber in 1909 due to a blizzard that dropped 10 inches of snow in Washington.
The most recent snowiest transfer of power happened in 1961 at President John F. Kennedy's ceremony when less than an inch of snow fell. A winter storm in 1961 dropped more than 7 inches between Jan. 18 and Jan. 20 ahead of JFK’s inauguration.