Whenever people think of places that push the boundaries of cold, it’s not out of place that Antarctica immediately comes to mind. But there are several remote places whose temperatures put survival on the brink.
1. A ridge between Argus Dome and Fuji Dome, East Antarctic Plateau, Antarctica2. Vostok Station, Antarctica3. Oymyakon, Russia (Yakutia, Siberia)4. Verkhoyansk, Russia5. Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska, USA6. Hitch, Yukon, Canada7. Eismitte, Greenland
Here are seven of the coldest known places on Earth, where scientific records and geography combine to create extremes few can imagine.
1. A ridge between Argus Dome and Fuji Dome, East Antarctic Plateau, Antarctica
According POTThis high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau has produced the lowest surface temperature ever measured from satellites: approximately –93.2 °C (–136 °F) during clear winter nights.
These extreme minima were identified in data spanning decades, including from Landsat 8 and other remote sensors.
2. Vostok Station, Antarctica
A Russian research station, Vostok, holds one of the records for the coldest air temperature measured at ground level: –89.2 °C (–128.6 °F) in July 1983. It remains a benchmark in rankings of the coldest places on Earth.
3. Oymyakon, Russia (Yakutia, Siberia)
Recognized as the coldest Oymyakon, a permanently inhabited place on Earth, recorded –71.2 °C (–96.2 °F). The winters here are brutal; Average winter temperatures are around –50 °C. Life here requires adaptation to the cold as much as the cold demands respect.
4. Verkhoyansk, Russia
Also in Siberia, Verkhoyansk is famous for its temperature changes. It once dropped to about –67.8 °C (–90 °F) in winter, but summer temperatures can get quite high. The vernacular extremes make it another of the coldest places on Earth where people reside.
5. Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska, USA
The highest peak in North America is also one of the coldest places. Temperatures well below –60°C have been recorded at the summit of Denali in winter under certain conditions. Its altitude and geography combine for extreme cold.
6. Hitch, Yukon, Canada
A small settlement with a long cold history: Snag recorded –62.2°C (or around –60°C) in 1947. Its remoteness and continental position contribute to its cold climate.
7. Eismitte, Greenland
Located inside the Greenland Ice Sheet, Eismitte experiences extremely low temperatures, often falling below –60°C. It is remote, uninhabitable year-round, but vital for climate and glaciology research.