These are the coldest US presidential Inauguration Days on record
Updated: 3:15 PM EST Jan 17, 2025
These are the coldest US presidential Inauguration Days on record
Updated: 3:15 PM EST Jan 17, 2025
Chilly temperatures forecast to dip to 22 degrees are forcing organizers to move President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration indoors.The Hearst Television Data team analyzed temperature records from the National Weather Service and found that while rare, this isn’t an unprecedented move. Inaugurations have been typically held outdoors since 1817, when James Monroe was sworn in under sunny skies. This is only the third time in presidential history that an inauguration has been forced inside. Previously, a blizzard prevented Willam Taft’s 1909 ceremony from being held outside, and Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was moved indoors as it was 7 degrees.The latter was the coldest inauguration day ever, though Reagan also holds the record for the warmest January inauguration, as it was 55 degrees Fahrenheit at his first swearing-in in 1981.Since the 20th Amendment was ratified in 1933, inauguration ceremonies have been traditionally held on Jan. 20, while presidents prior were usually sworn in on March 4. Of the 22 inaugurations that have happened since, Trump’s second inauguration is predicted to be tied with John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration for the second coldest.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
WASHINGTON —Chilly temperatures forecast to dip to 22 degrees are forcing organizers to move President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration indoors.
The Hearst Television Data team analyzed temperature records from the National Weather Service and found that while rare, this isn’t an unprecedented move.
Inaugurations have been typically held outdoors since 1817, when James Monroe was sworn in under sunny skies.
This is only the third time in presidential history that an inauguration has been forced inside. Previously, a blizzard prevented Willam Taft’s 1909 ceremony from being held outside, and Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was moved indoors as it was 7 degrees.
The latter was the coldest inauguration day ever, though Reagan also holds the record for the warmest January inauguration, as it was 55 degrees Fahrenheit at his first swearing-in in 1981.
Since the 20th Amendment was ratified in 1933, inauguration ceremonies have been traditionally held on Jan. 20, while presidents prior were usually sworn in on March 4. Of the 22 inaugurations that have happened since, Trump’s second inauguration is predicted to be tied with John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inauguration for the second coldest.
