'Will be very cold': Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20 to be coldest US president swearing-in of recent history

With temperatures forecast to plummet well below average for Jan, the Jan 20 ceremony is set to take place amid bitterly cold, with a chance of snow on Jan 19.

Workers continue with the finishing touches on the presidential reviewing stand on Pennsylvania outside the White House Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Washington, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. (AP)

As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take the oath of office on Monday, Washington DC will be bracing for what reports say is likely to be one of the coldest inaugurations in recent history.

With temperatures forecast to plummet well below average for January, the ceremony is set to take place amid bitterly cold conditions, with a chance of snow on Sunday, January 19, followed by gusty winds and highs barely reaching 20 degrees, according to local news portal WTOP.

The National Weather Service warns of dangerously low wind chills that could make the air feel even colder, particularly in the morning when temperatures are expected to dip into the teens, gradually climbing to the low 20s by midday. Wind speeds will likely range from 15 to 20 mph, with gusts reaching 25 to 30 mph, further exacerbating the harsh cold.

“This will be a very cold day, with wind chill values in the single digits to low teens,” WTOP quoted as saying Brian LaSorsa, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. "We’ll be well below average, as our usual high is in the upper 30s for this time of year."

When cold weather forced inauguration to be held indoors

The forecast of extreme cold threatens to make Donald Trump's inauguration the coldest since Ronald Reagan’s second swearing-in ceremony in 1985. That year, temperatures were so extreme—reaching just 7 degrees by noon—that the ceremony was held indoors, and the planned parade was canceled. Reagan even joked about the weather in his inaugural speech, noting, "We would have been standing at the steps if it hadn’t gotten so cold."

Other cold inaugurations include John F Kennedy’s 1961 ceremony, which saw temperatures of 22 degrees with snow on the ground. In contrast, Trump’s first inauguration in 2017 was relatively milder, at 48 degrees, while Joe Biden’s 2021 inauguration registered 42 degrees.

For the hundreds of thousands expected to gather for the event, the biting cold will likely be a central part of the day’s experience. Weather experts are urging attendees to prepare for the low wind chills and strong winds, which will dominate the day.

Despite the weather challenges, the inauguration will proceed as planned, with history set to be made in freezing conditions.

Donald Trump, whose Republican Party swept the presidential election, will be inaugurated as US President on Monday, January 20.