SPEARFISH, SD – Mayor Dana Boke proclaimed January 22 as Chinook Day in Spearfish, with the recognition to take place in perpetuity.
The proclamation took place during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, and it reads:
Whereas, on January 22, 1943, temperatures in Spearfish, South Dakota, dropped to -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, a southwesterly wind coming from Oregon, known as a Chinook, made its way through the Black Hills, rapidly raising temperatures to 45 degrees, a 49-degree temperature increase;
Whereas, The chinook winds quickly died down, returning the temperature to a bitter -4 degrees;
Whereas, The rapid temperature fluctuation caused glass windows to crack and instantly frosted car windows. The extreme weather event made national news;
Whereas, The temperature changes landed Spearfish in the Guinness Book of World Records with two records: one for the fastest temperature rise, and one for the fastest temperature drop;
Whereas, January 22, 2022, celebrates the 79th Anniversary of the chinook world records;
Now, therefore, from this day forward, I, Dana Boke, Mayor of the City of Spearfish, South Dakota, do hereby proclaim January 22nd as: "Chinook Day" in the City of Spearfish, South Dakota.
There is a communitywide winter festival celebrating the world record temperature change in Spearfish, put on by various community organizations, with more information available at https://chinookdays.com/.
