Coldest recorded temperatures on earth
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Coldest Recorded Temperatures on Earth: Key Locations and Records
Antarctica: The Coldest Place on Earth
Antarctica holds the record for the lowest air temperature ever measured on Earth. The coldest recorded air temperature is −89.2°C, observed at Vostok Station on 21 July 1983. This extreme event was due to a combination of meteorological factors, including a near-record low mid-tropospheric vortex, minimal warm air intrusion, low wind speeds, and clear skies that allowed significant heat loss to space. Researchers estimate that even lower temperatures, possibly down to −96°C, could be reached under prolonged isolation, especially at higher sites like Dome Argus, which is typically 5–6°C colder than Vostok Station. Earlier records at Vostok and other Antarctic stations, such as −87.4°C in August 1958, also set new world lows during the International Geophysical Year.
Greenland: Northern Hemisphere’s Coldest Temperature
The coldest temperature ever recorded in the Northern and Western Hemispheres is −69.6°C, measured at Klinck Automatic Weather Station in Greenland on 22 December 1991. This record has been officially recognized by the World Meteorological Organization after thorough verification of the station’s data and conditions. Previous notable lows on the Greenland ice sheet include −66°C at the French central station in February 1950.
Siberia: Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk
In northeastern Siberia, Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk are famous for their extreme cold. Oymyakon recorded −67.7°C in February 1933, while Verkhoyansk has reported similar values, with some sources suggesting a possible −69.8°C. These towns are among the coldest inhabited places on Earth, with their records standing for decades as the lowest outside AntarcticaStepanova19589.
North America: Yukon’s Record
The lowest temperature in North America was recorded at Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada, in 1947, with values reported between −61.5°C and −62.7°C.
Surface vs. Air Temperature Extremes
While air temperature records are the standard for meteorological extremes, satellite data have revealed even lower land surface temperatures. MODIS satellite observations identified a land surface temperature of −110.9°C in Antarctica, which is much colder than the lowest air temperature but is not directly comparable due to different measurement methods.
Summary of Global Cold Extremes
- Antarctica (Vostok Station): −89.2°C (air temperature, 1983) Turner2009Stepanova1959
- Greenland (Klinck AWS): −69.6°C (air temperature, 1991) Weidner2020Loewe1954
- Siberia (Oymyakon/Verkhoyansk): −67.7°C to −69.8°C (air temperature, 1933 and earlier) Stepanova19589
- North America (Snag, Yukon): −61.5°C to −62.7°C (air temperature, 1947)
- Antarctica (MODIS LST): −110.9°C (land surface temperature, satellite data)
Conclusion
The coldest recorded air temperature on Earth is −89.2°C at Vostok Station, Antarctica, with other notable records in Greenland, Siberia, and Canada. Satellite data show even lower land surface temperatures in Antarctica, but these are not directly comparable to standard air temperature records. Antarctica remains the undisputed coldest region on the planet, with the potential for even lower temperatures under the right conditionsTurner2009Zhao2021Stepanova1959+1 MORE.
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