10 of the coldest places on Earth

Advertisement
10 of the coldest places on Earth

Russia cold

REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

Oymyakon in Russia is famous for its low temperatures.

Advertisement

For those inhabiting areas prone to snow and intense wind chill, it's hard to imagine frostier or less favorable conditions. But they exist. Some locations have been abandoned by humans altogether, while residents of other places make do with ice-coated eyelashes.

Here are 10 of the world's most frigid spots.

{{}}

Precipitation falls to the surface as ice crystals at Dome Fuji, Antarctica.

Precipitation falls to the surface as ice crystals at Dome Fuji, Antarctica.

Also known as Dome F or Valkyrie Dome, Dome Fuji is the home of a Japanese research station.

Conditions at Dome Fuji are pretty dry and reminiscent of a cold desert. It's one of the coldest places on Earth due to its high elevation and location on the Antarctic plateau. The area is so cold, in fact, that precipitation falls to the surface as ice crystals.

The temperature can drop as low as -112 degrees Fahrenheit (-80 degrees Celsius). It can get warmer, relatively speaking, but only to the tune of -22 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 degrees Celsius).

Oymyakon, Russia has a population of 500.

Oymyakon, Russia has a population of 500.

Oymyakon, the remote Siberian village is considered the coldest place inhabited on Earth, with a reported population of 500.

Earlier this year temperatures dipped to a record-breaking -79.6 degrees Fahrenheit, breaking the village's thermometer.

But as one resident told the Siberian Times, "For us this is normal. It's strange that journalists call and ask how you live here. I answer, you come and see for yourself that we live an ordinary life."

Advertisement

Snag, a town in Canada's Yukon, recorded the coldest day in the country's history.

Snag, a town in Canada's Yukon, recorded the coldest day in the country's history.

The village of Snag is located to the east of Beaver Creek in Yukon, Canada. It was first inhabited during the Klondike Gold Rush when 100,000 prospectors migrated to the area in search of gold in the late 1800s.

The village has the distinction of holding the record for the coldest day in Canadian history — temperatures dropped to -81.4 degrees Fahrenheit in 1947. The location has been reported closed since 2006, with a population of zero.

Rogers Pass in Montana holds the US' coldest temperature record.

Rogers Pass in Montana holds the US' coldest temperature record.

This mountain pass, which is adjacent to Helena National Forest, stands 5,610 feet above sea level.

It's best known for recording the lowest temperature in the United States (outside of Alaska): on January 20th, 1954, the thermostat hit -70 degrees Fahrenheit (-57 degrees Celsius).

Advertisement

Stanley, Idaho in the US has a population of 69 people.

Stanley, Idaho in the US has a population of 69 people.

A 2016 census estimated that Stanley, Idaho had a population of 69. The town is located in Custer County, at an altitude of 6,253 feet above sea level. Its freezing temperatures are the product of being nestled in a valley that traps cold air from the surrounding mountains.

Most days are frosty, even in July, and roughly 60 nights per year, the temperature is 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

One notable non-weather fact about Stanley: The city elected 22-year-old Hannah Stauts as the youngest female mayor in the US in 2005.

Vostok, Antarctica is home to a Russian research station.

Vostok, Antarctica is home to a Russian research station.

You can expect subzero temperatures year-round at this Russian research station, which is tucked away in Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica. Founded in 1957, the station gets its moniker from the lead ship of the First Russian Antarctic Expedition.

Although it is not the coldest location on Earth, Vosto's record low temperature is -128.6 degrees Fahrenheit (-89.2 degrees Celsius).

Advertisement

Fort Selkirk, Canada proved too cold for residents.

Fort Selkirk, Canada proved too cold for residents.

The former trading post is located at the junction of the Yukon and Pelly Rivers. It used to be the home of the indigenous Selkirk First Nation, who now jointly manage the area with the Yukon Government’s Department of Tourism and Culture.

Fort Selkirk was abandoned in the mid-1950s due in part to the development of the Klondike Highway and also because of the weather conditions. Temperatures have dropped as low as -74 degrees Fahrenheit.

The peak of the Denali mountain in Alaska is 20,310 feet above sea level.

The peak of the Denali mountain in Alaska is 20,310 feet above sea level.

Formerly known as Mount McKinley, Denali is the highest mountain in North America.

Unsurprisingly, it gets pretty cold there. The meteorological station erected by the Japan Alpine Club near the summit recorded temperatures of -75.5 degrees Fahrenheit (-59.7 degrees Celsius) in December 2003. The same year, the peak set the record for coldest North American windchill, at -118.1 degrees Fahrenheit (-83.4 degrees Celsius).

Advertisement

Eismitte, Greenland was the site of a fatal expedition.

Eismitte, Greenland was the site of a fatal expedition.

In German, Eismitte literally translates to "ice-center," which is fitting for one of the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere. The area posts an average temperature of -22 degrees Fahrenheit (-30 degrees Celsius).

Eismitte gained notoriety after German scientist Alfred Wegener lost his life during an expedition that began in July, 1930.

Verkhoyansk, Russia has freezing winters but relatively warm summers.

Verkhoyansk, Russia has freezing winters but relatively warm summers.

While the other locations on this list experience freezing temperatures all year, Verkhoyansk has a huge disparity between its winter and summer climates.

On average, temperatures can dip to -49.7 degrees Fahrenheit (-45.4 degrees Celsius) in January, then rise to 61.7 degrees Fahrenheit (16.5 degrees Celsius) in July. The town, which has a population of just over 1,300, holds the Guinness World Record for the greatest temperature range: a difference of 188 degrees Fahrenheit (105 degrees Celsius), from -90 degrees Fahrenheit (-68 degrees Celsius ) to 98 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius).


Visit INSIDER's homepage for more.

Advertisement