Where is the coldest place on earth. Where is the coldest place in the world? Why is Oymyakon the coldest city in the world?
This rating presents the coldest places in different parts of the world and continents: Antarctica, Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America as well as Australia and Oceania. The coldest place in Antarctica and the whole Earth as a whole is the Russian Vostok station. July 21, 1983 there was...
The coldest place in Antarctica
The coldest place in Antarctica and the whole Earth as a whole is the Russian Vostok station. On July 21, 1983, the most low temperature on our planet in the history of meteorological observations -89.2 degrees Celsius. Naturally, such frosts at the Vostok station are not all year round. average temperature August (the coldest month at the station) is -68 °C. The average temperature in December (the warmest month) is -31.9 °C. The warmest day in the history of the Vostok station is January 11, 2002, when the temperature reached -12.2 °C.
The coldest part of the world on earth
After Antarctica, the coldest part of the world on Earth is Asia, where records of low temperatures were again recorded on Russian territory. Disputes for the title of the Pole of Cold of the Northern Hemisphere are between two settlements in Yakutia - the city of Verkhoyansk (population 1,200 people) and the village of Oymyakon (population about 500 people).
Officially, this title belongs to Verkhoyansk, because February 5, 1892 at the local meteorological station A temperature of -67.8 °C was recorded, which is a record for the history of official meteorological observations in the Northern Hemisphere. At that time, meteorological observations were not conducted in Oymyakon, however, unofficially in 1924, academician Sergei Obruchev recorded a temperature of -71.2 ° C there. According to other sources, this record was broken in 1938, when the temperature in Oymyakon dropped to -77.8 °C. If we compare the height above sea level of the village of Oymyakon and the Antarctic station "Vostok", then Oymyakon can be considered the coldest place on Earth, because the station "Vostok" is located at an altitude of 3,488 meters above sea level, while Oymyakon is located at about 70 meters above sea level.
Officially, the lowest temperature recorded in Oymyakon is −67.7 °C (in 1933). Surprisingly, in summer months in the coldest places in Russia it is hot in summer: on July 28, 2010 in Oymyakon it was +34.6 °C, and in Verkhoyansk the temperature record with a plus sign is +37.3 °C.
Coldest place in North America
The third coldest part of the world is North America. On January 9, 1954, a temperature of -66.1 °C was recorded at the North Ice research station. If we take the mainland directly, then the title of the coldest place in North America belongs to the now abandoned Canadian village of Snag, where on February 3, 1947, a temperature of -63 ° C was recorded.
The coldest place in Europe
In addition to Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon, which are the coldest places in Asia and the entire Northern Hemisphere, in Russia, namely in the Komi Republic, there is also the coldest place in Europe - the village of Ust-Shchugor with a population of about 50 people. On December 31, 1978, a temperature of -58.1 °C was recorded here.
The coldest place in South America
The coldest place in South America is the Argentine city of Sarmiento, where on June 17, 1907 a temperature of -33 °C was recorded.
The coldest place in Australia and Oceania
The coldest place in Australia and Oceania is the city of Ranfurly in New Zealand, where on July 18, 1903 a temperature of -25.6 °C was recorded.
The coldest place in Africa
Africa is the warmest, but there are also sub-zero temperatures. The coldest place in Africa is the city of Ifrane in Morocco, where on February 11, 1935 a temperature of -23.9 °C was recorded.
Today we will talk about the coldest places on Earth with record low temperatures that have ever been recorded. Among them there are both settlements and lands absolutely unsuitable for life. Russia has become the undisputed leader among countries in terms of the number of the coldest regions, since many of its villages are located in the permafrost zone.
So, 10 coldest places on Earth!
1. Oymyakon
The village of Oymyakon (Republic of Sakha) is officially recognized as the coldest place on Earth. It is one of the "Poles of Cold" on the planet. This is one of the harshest places in the world in terms of climatic indicators, where a permanent population of about 500 people lives. The village is located at an altitude of 745 m above sea level. The absolute minimum temperature here is -64 degrees, but according to some data in Oymyakon in 1938, a temperature of -78 degrees was recorded. Verkhoyansk also claimed the coldest place in the world, but according to meteorological data, the average annual temperature in Oymyakon is 0.3°C lower than in Verkhoyansk, which allows it to take the lead.
2. Verkhoyansk
The city of Verkhoyansk (Republic of Sakha) is considered the coldest place on the planet, after the village of Oymyakon. Verkhoyansk is also one of the smallest Russian cities with a population of just over 1,000 people. The lowest temperatures were recorded here in 1892 and amounted to minus 68 degrees. The city wears official status"Pole of Cold". Winters in the city of the Republic of Sakha are long, very severe and cold. In addition, an insignificant amount of precipitation falls here, comparable to deserts. Therefore, Verkhoyansk still belongs to the cities of Russia with the driest climate. Frosts are possible even in summer time a year that is very short. Average annual temperature is - 18.6 degrees.
3. Station "Vostok"
Station "Vostok" (Antarctica) has the most difficult climatic conditions: low temperatures are observed throughout the year. In 1983, the station officially registered indicators - 89 degrees. The most heat was noted in 1957 and amounted to 13.6 degrees below zero. This area rightfully bears the status of the "Pole of Cold". The warmest months are December and January, when the average is -35°C. The station is located at an altitude of 3488 meters above sea level, which does not allow it to bear the title of the coldest place on earth. If the indicators are brought to sea level, then the village of Oymyakon of the Republic of Yakutia becomes the undisputed leader.
4. Eismitte
The former station of Eismitte (Greenland) ranks fourth on the list of the coldest places on Earth. In 1930, the lowest temperature indicators, which amounted to -65 degrees. February average temperatures are 47 degrees below zero. In July, which is considered the warmest month here, the average temperature is -12°C. The station was located on the Greenland Shield at an altitude of 3010 meters above sea level. It was here that the Greenland expedition of Alfred Wegener was sent in the 30s of the last century, in which many people suffered from frostbite. Alfred Wegener himself died of hypothermia.
5. Yakutsk
The capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is one of the coldest places in the world. Severe Yakut frosts in winter time the average year is -40 degrees. The maximum minimum temperature here can reach 65°C below zero. Winter lasts here for six months - from early October to late April. As for summer, for the northern city there is abnormal heat which can reach +40°C. The average annual temperature in Yakutsk is 9 degrees below zero. This is one of the largest urban settlements located on the territory of permafrost.
6. Ust-Shchuger
The village of Ust-Shchuger (Komi Republic) is fighting for the title of the coldest place on Earth. In 1978, in the village of Ust-Shchuger (Komi Republic), record levels of 58 degrees below zero were recorded. The average temperature of the coldest month (December) is -28 degrees, the warmest (July) - 14°C above zero. A small village with a population of 30 people was located at an altitude of 75 meters above sea level.
7. Vorkuta
The city of Vorkuta (Komi Republic) can be called the coldest place in the world, which is located in the permafrost zone. The settlement has a subarctic climate and belongs to the regions of the Far North. Frosts are observed here for 10 months a year, and even in the summer season a slight frost is not ruled out. Due to the harsh climate of Vorkuta, growing vegetables in the open field is impossible. The average annual temperature in the city is -6 degrees. The absolute temperature minimum falls on the month of December and is -57°C. In summer, the mercury column can rise to +33 degrees.
8. Astana
Astana (Kazakhstan) ranks eighth in the list of the coldest places on the planet and second among the coldest capitals in the world. In winter, the mercury column can drop to -52 degrees. Winters here are very cold and long. The frost period begins in November and lasts until April. Summer is characterized by high temperatures, which can reach +41°C. The annual averages are 3 degrees above zero.
9. International Falls
The next American city, International Falls (USA), also has the right to bear the title of the coldest place on Earth. The Americans call this locality the "Refrigerator of the Nation" for a reason: the temperature in the warmest month (July) can be 0 degrees, and in the coldest (January) they reach 49 degrees below zero.
10. Barrow
Barrow (USA) - the northernmost inhabited urban area in North America completes the list of the coldest places on Earth. The city is located in the permafrost region. The soil here can freeze up to 400 meters deep. The climate of Barrow is not only cold, but also dry. The winter season is considered extremely life-threatening, as severe frosts are associated with strong winds. For about three months a year, the temperature index exceeds 0 degrees, but does not rise above plus 4 degrees. Even in summer, frosts are typical here. The average annual temperature in Barrow is -12 degrees. The lowest temperature is in February and is -49°C. A feature of the city of permafrost is that the sun practically does not appear here from November to February.
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A certain area can be called the Pole of Cold the globe which has the lowest temperature ever recorded. In addition, regions that have recorded the lowest temperatures on the planet can also be considered cold poles.
On the given time Several points are recognized as the coldest places on Earth, although recent studies have revealed record levels of sub-zero temperatures in three specific places on our planet.
South and North Poles of Cold
There are two officially recognized regions that contain the coldest spots on the planet. These are the North and South Poles of Cold.
In the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth, the poles of cold with a record temperature are the village of Oymyakon (with indicators of -67.7 ° C) and the city of Verkhoyansk (-67.8 ° C).
Station "Vostok", located in the expanses of East Antarctica, is considered the boundary point South Pole cold. Until recently, the lowest temperature recorded in this area was - 89.2 ° C. And recent research on the East Antarctic Plateau recorded a temperature of -92°C, which is considered the lowest of all time.
Methods for studying the poles of cold
Such information is contained in special maps compiled with the help of the direct work of meteorological services and satellites. The most accurate research has been carried out continuously for the past 32 years, and one of these meteorological satellites is the American brainchild of Landsat 8, a qualitative model of the Earth remote sensing apparatus. Such an assembly is distinguished by a large set of measuring equipment and research functions, which makes it possible to use the latest generation spacecraft to perform a variety of purposes and tasks.
Thus, it was revealed that an entire area on the territory of modern Antarctica is much higher than the rest and has record levels of sub-zero temperatures. This is also due to the fact that for long periods of time there is no air circulation, and the release of heat into outer space is continuous.
In addition, it is worth noting that on our planet there are many isolated places where sub-zero temperatures border on record lows. Such places are located in different parts of the world.
The coldest places in the world
In addition to specific points with minimum temperature, indicated in Antarctica, there are many places on Earth that are constantly shackled by winter frosts. The coldest places in the world were recognized:
- The South Pole of Cold is the Russian Antarctic station "Vostok"(East Antarctica - 78°28′ S 106°48′ E), at this point on July 21, 1983, a record low air temperature was recorded on the surface of the planet -89.2°C, this is the lowest temperature ever observed by meteorological scientists
- North Pole cold is the city Verkhoyansk in Yakutia - January 15, 1885 in this locality temperature was recorded -67.8°C.
- The village of Oymyakon competes with Verkhoyansk for the title of the northern pole of cold, so in February 1933 the temperature was recorded by Soviet meteorologists -67.7°C which is higher temperature record in Verkhoyansk by 0.1 °C.
It is worth noting that sometimes mountains are taken as cold poles, where the temperature also drops below 65 degrees Celsius, however, this technique is controversial, because scientists are interested in the temperature on the Earth's surface, and not at altitudes of several kilometers above sea level. For example, Americans consider Mount Denali (or McKinley) and its environs one of the coldest places on the planet, where the cold lasts as long as possible. Canadian meteorologists sometimes consider Mount Logan (Canada) as the north pole of cold, where a temperature of -77.5 °C was recorded in May 1991. But we must repeat ourselves - first of all, scientists are interested in the temperature on the surface of the planet, and according to this method, the championship belongs to three points - the Vostok Antarctic station, the city of Verkhoyansk and the village of Oymyakon.
First, let's deal with the question "Why is it cold in winter?". Our planet, as you know, revolves around the Sun, and many will be right, linking the change of seasons and this movement of the Earth. That's just half the truth. The second half of it lies in the fact that the rotation of the Earth around its axis also affects the change of seasons.
As a result, these two rotations give the following result: the planet is not only moving away from the Sun or approaching it, but also "exposing its sides" to the sun's rays at different angles. At the equator, for example, the angle of incidence sun rays always the same and therefore there is always warm and light. But closer to the poles and the angle is different and the seasons change regularly there.
In addition, with the approach of winter, the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere decreases, which did not allow heat to "leave", and the falling snow reflects most of the sun's rays, preventing terrestrial objects from absorbing them and heating up.
North and South Poles
Many people will say that the poles are the coldest places on the planet. And they will be right and wrong at the same time. And yet, oddly enough, the North Pole is warmer than the South. We explain why.
We need to start with how the poles differ in addition to their geographical location. The Arctic - the North Pole - is an ice-covered expanse of the Arctic Ocean. With the onset of summer in the northern hemisphere of our planet, this ice partially melts. In addition, warm currents, the Gulf Stream, for example, play a significant role in the temperature regime of the region. In general, the average temperature in the Arctic in winter is about -34°C, and in summer it is even warmer.
Things are quite different on the other side of the planet. Antarctica is not just the southernmost continent. It is also one and a half times the size of Europe and two times the size of Australia, yes, in addition to everything, it is covered with a non-melting ice shell. Yes and especially warm currents does not pass by.
In geography lessons, they always tell that it is always colder on the mainland than in the sea. Add to this a perpetual ice sheet that reflects almost 95% of sunlight, no warm currents, and you have the whole picture. According to scientists, the average temperature of the southern mainland is -49°C.
Where is the coldest
If we take up the ranking of the coldest places on our planet, the picture is as follows: Antarctica will be the undisputed leader, followed by the coldest places in the Northern Hemisphere. Here are the top five of these regions.
Antarctica. Station "Vostok", the area of the South Magnetic Pole of the Earth.
The research station "Vostok-1" was founded on December 16, 1957 by the outstanding Soviet scientist and polar explorer V.S. Sidorov, who subsequently long time was the stationmaster.
The lowest temperature was recorded at the station on July 21, 1983 and was -89.2 degrees Celsius. And the warmest day for the entire time of the station's operation remains the day of its foundation - December 16, 1957. Then the thermometer showed -13.6°C.
Yakutsk
The capital of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), a port on the Lena River. The city was founded by a detachment of the Yenisei centurion P. Beketov in 1632. The largest city in terms of population in the north-east of Russia. Yakutsk is considered the coldest city on earth. The average annual temperature here is +10°C. The average January temperature is -41°C. And the absolute minimum in the history of meteorological observations is -64°C. True, the last time such frosts were recorded already in 1946.
Verkhoyansk
Verkhoyansk is a settlement in Yakutia, located within the Arctic Circle. Historically, Verkhoyansk was a place of exile for political prisoners. The poet Puzhitsky, a participant in the Polish uprising, was the first to be sent to Verkhoyansk. On January 15, 1885, the exiled S. Kovalik registered the minimum air temperature in the entire history of observations, -67.1 ° C, using the equipment of a meteorological station. In 2005, a memorial plaque was unveiled in honor of the 120th anniversary of the registration of the absolute minimum temperature in the northern hemisphere.
Oymyakon
A village in the Oymyakonsky ulus (district - ed. note) of Yakutia, on the left bank of the Indigirka River. In the Sakha language, it means "non-freezing water", and is associated with a warm spring in the permafrost. On January 26, 1926, a temperature of -71.2°C was recorded here. Such temperatures are associated with the location of the city - in a bowl between the mountains, where cold air. Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon still claim to be the cold pole of the Northern Hemisphere. Today the palm is given to Verkhoyansk.
Greenland
Not only Russia can boast of regions with very low temperatures. Denmark, oddly enough - too. After all, it is this state that owns Greenland - the largest island in the world, located in the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. The area of Greenland is over 2 million square kilometers. The reserves of ice are so impressive that if they melt, the level of the world ocean will rise not much, not a little - by 7 meters. And if we talk about the temperature regime on the island, then in the center of Greenland the average temperature in February does not rise above -47 ° C.
Despite such harsh conditions, even in the coldest places on our planet people live. And they definitely deserve a lot of respect. After all, not everyone is able to live and work in such conditions. Perhaps there are thrill-seekers who are eager to "feel" severe frosts. Be that as it may, nature, according to apt observation, does not have bad weather.
Many people complain about severe frosts in winter. Yes, we sometimes have temperatures down to -30°C. It is really cold, but there are such frosts in which it seems impossible to survive. And yet there are people who live in such places all their lives. In this article, we will talk about places where the temperature drops below -55°C.
Station "Vostok"
The coldest point on earth is in Antarctica, or rather at the Vostok station. Here the most severe frosts: the temperature ranges from -32°C to -68°C, depending on the time of year. The warmest months at this point are December, January. At this time, the temperature is kept in the range - 30-40°C. The coldest time at the station is in August: the temperature drops to -65-68 °C. The record low temperature was recorded in 1923 -89°C. In January 2002, December was very warm -12°C. The thickness of the ice in this place reaches 4 meters.
Scientific research is being carried out at this station. Scientists study the nature, properties of this place, its climate. The composition of researchers in winter does not exceed 25 people, in summer - 40. Vostok works all year round and in any weather. Even if the temperature drops to the very minimum -80°C.
Since it is impossible to get to this place in the winter season, the shift change takes place in the summer. Also at this time of the year, products are delivered and necessary for scientific work materials.
Products are delivered by planes and a special sledge-caterpillar train
It is very difficult to be at the Vostok station. Not only severe frosts interfere, but also rarefied air and a small amount of oxygen. Acclimatization of new arrivals is accompanied by such signs as: dizziness, flickering in the eyes, nausea, sleep disturbance, pain in the joints and muscles, nosebleeds, loss of appetite and weight, suffocation, pain in the ears.
There is no life at this point, everything is so frozen. The water also lacks minerals and microorganisms. It is impossible to melt snow and drink it, as it does not quench thirst. To get their own food, scientists drilled a well.
Scientists who arrived at the station get used to the new conditions for a long time - two months
Frost elsewhere
But not only Antarctica is famous for its severe cold. There are several other points on earth where the temperature reaches 77°C below zero. They are in different parts world: Russia, North and South America, Canada, Oceania, Australia, Antarctica. People also live or lived in them.
The second cold spot in the world is the Russian village of Oymyakon. It is located near Yakutia. The climate here is cold all year round: it is never warmer than 30°C below zero. On average, people live at -46°C. The frost record was set in 1938: the mercury column of the thermometer dropped to -78°C.
About 500 people live in this village. They cannot grow food here, so food is delivered to them by plane. True, only in warm time of the year. In winter, the weather in this village is so terrible that it is impossible to fly here.
In winter, the runway freezes, it is dangerous to use it
In the Yakut language, "Oymyakon" means "water that never freezes." Indeed, there are several hot springs near the village. There is practically no heating in this village. Gas is not supplied here, so people heat their houses with firewood. Mobile communications and there are no other amenities that exist in other cities, but everyone has Wi-Fi.
The most interesting thing is that such severe frosts in Yakutia are only in winter. In summer it is really hot here: the temperature rises to +46°С. Unlike Antarctica, living creatures are still found here, however, in small quantities.
Residents of Oymyakon are engaged in animal husbandry: they breed deer and horses, sometimes they fish
Plateau, Antarctica
The third coldest point on Earth is Plateau Station in Antarctica. Owned by the United States of America. In the 60s of the XX century, scientific research was carried out here. The tests took place exactly 3 years. 8 people lived on the Plateau: four scientists and the same number of military men. Later, the government banned research in this region. However, for what reason, no one knows yet.
The frost record of this place is -72°С
Verkhoyansk
Another cold place in Russia is the town of Verkhoyansk. The lowest thermometer here fell in 1982 -70 ° C. 1200 people live in this town. The average temperature in this region is 45 degrees below zero. Together with the village of Oymyakon, he is fighting for the title of "The coldest city in the northern hemisphere."
For citizens Central Russia the winter frosts of Verkhoyansk seem prohibitively cold. But the inhabitants of this city themselves tolerate the cold well. For them, frost is 55 degrees below zero.
The most interesting: daylight hours last only 1-5 hours a day. Residents pre-calculate the beginning of sunrise and sunset in order to schedule important events such as graduations, weddings, and so on.
It is extremely difficult to get to this place. Tourists do not come here, sometimes journalists make reports in this city. It is expensive to fly to this point: 32,600 rubles for a 2-hour flight. In summer, it is also impossible to get to Verkhoyansk because of bad roads: there is so much mud that even KAMAZ trucks cannot pass.
North America
After 1954, the North Ice research station was considered the coldest point in this region. It was located in Greenland. The temperature minimum at this point reached -66 °C. Before that, the coldest place in North America was the city of Snag. The thermometer dropped to -63 °C.
This is another cold spot in Greenland. Here was the station of the scientific expedition of the famous scientist Alfred Wegener. It was unusual, since all the rooms for living and working were completely built of ice.
In the 1930s, a group of scientists headed by Alfred Wegener went to this place. Her task was to study the climate of this area, meteorological features. Winters at this point are especially cold: the temperature is allowed up to -65 °C.
The name of the Eismitte station is translated as "in the middle of the ice"
Scientific research on the Greenland Ice Sheet has come at too high a cost. Two scientists (Rasmus Willumsen and Alfred Wegener) died of hypothermia. Another explorer lost his toes. Amputation had to be done in hard frost without painkillers. There were simply no such drugs at the station.
After this tragic incident, research in this place was stopped. And no one else came to the Icemitt. Today this station is completely destroyed.
McKinley
There is another very cold place on our Earth - Mount McKinley. It is located in Alaska. Back when this land belonged Russian Empire, she had a different name - big mountain. Nobody lives here, but McKinley is the coldest mountain on our Earth.
It is located at the same latitude as the Vostok station. Located in Norway. In winter, the thermometer drops to -43°C. But unlike Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon, living conditions are much better here. It is difficult to get to this city by car, so the main intercity vehicle- airplane. Inside the city, they use a helicopter and a snowmobile.
1100 people live in Longyearbyen
We talked about the coldest places on the planet. Not all of them are habitable, but in many cities people live all their lives. People eat in such conditions, mainly meat, as it gives a lot of energy and is quickly digested. Therefore, the main occupations of the inhabitants of the coldest cities are animal husbandry and cattle breeding.
Such places actively attract journalists and tourists. They have developed such types of entertainment as helicopter and airplane flights, big sledding and dog sledding. In some cities, you can bathe in a hot spring. For lovers of extreme sports there is such entertainment - underwater fishing. You can also ski down the mountains and take pictures of unusual nature.
