
In the dead of winter, especially this January, it’s hard to imagine a time when New York was even colder. However, February 9, 1934 proved to be the coldest day in NYC recorded history, reaching a bone-chilling low temperature of -15°F.
On this day, it was so cold that the Hudson River froze over. Records state that the ice ran up to 18 inches thick. The river was so icy that only one ferry was left operating, and that was the ferry Dutchess servicing passengers between Newburgh and Beacon.
According to Beacon Historical Society, temperatures were so frigid that winter that on the weekend of February 15th – 16th, 1934, 500 people had walked across the frozen Hudson to and from Newburgh. Yet, this wasn’t the first time people had crossed a frozen Hudson River by foot, possible crossings have predated even the American Revolution.
However, particularly the winter of 1917-1918 was one of the most notable freezes in more recent history. During this winter, the Hudson River was so thickly frozen over between Tarrytown and Nyack that vehicles were able to drive across it.
This “ice bridge” apparently lasted for 43 days. Cars were able to make the 3-mile distance in “virtually no time,” with walkers taking about an hour and skaters roughly 15 minutes, according to Scenic Hudson. It’s said that volunteers maintained different lanes on the ice, one for vehicles and the other for pedestrians.
Of course, driving across a frozen river has its safety risks. One report documents a sinking car in the 1920s after a Yonkers resident attempted to cross in his Buick. The driver was able to make it back to shore safely.
Nowadays, there are a few reasons why it’s quite difficult for the Hudson River to freeze over, especially near NYC. Factors such as the river’s salinity due to freshwater and saltwater mixing, tidal currents and the sheer depth of the river, are just some things that contribute to this difficulty.