Bolaris: Coldest January 7 in Philly - ever

Before Tuesday, the lowest daytime high temperature ever recorded here for January 7 was 20 degrees, set back in 1878. As of 4 p.m., though, the temperature in Philadelphia was frozen at 13 degrees with a wind chill of -2.

Cold hard fact

There was a record low of 4 degrees in Philly Tuesday morning with a wind chill of -18.

Mt Pocono: -8 /wind chill -32

Reading: 1 / wind chill -24

Trenton: 2 / wind chill -24

Wilmington: 4 / wind chill -17

The entire region had wind chills of ranging from -17 to -32.

In Anchorage, Alaska they were reporting 26 degrees while Philly was at 9 degrees.

Now if you're wondering what the all-time record low for Philly was, try -11, set back on Feb. 9, 1934.

What is truly amazing, however, is that every state in the nation, including Hawaii, had a temperature below freezing in at least one spot. Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaii reported 20 degrees this morning.

The record cold and massive polar air mass is invading the very deep South as well. New Orleans came in with one of its coldest temperatures of all-time: 29 degrees.

Temperatures across the Panhandle of Florida crashed record lows with temperatures this morning between 18-24 degrees.

You had to head all the way down into the Florida Keys to see temperatures in the record cold 50s.

The culprit: Polar Vortex

Sometimes known as the FRIGID TWISTER, it's a huge, swirling cyclone usually located close to the poles. In winter time at times, this huge cyclone will intensify and drop southward, unleashing the brutally cold air that has been stored up across the poles and frozen Tundra of Canada and sweep deep down across North America.

It's of migratory nature with the strongest of times during the winter season here, and then weakening during the spring and summer seasons.

The good news here is after Wednesday, the Polar Vortex will retreat and temperatures will modify.

Temperatures will reach the mid-20s Wednesday, and eventually head into the 40s come this weekend, accompanied by rain on Saturday and a nicer Sunday.

Before that, as the warmer temperatures override the colder air, we could see some snow Thursday night or Friday, though not looking at anything major.

I'm still looking for this wicked winter to continue as we get into latter January and into February.

My long range winter forecast is available here, just in case you missed it

John Bolaris