Lowest recorded temperatures on earth
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Record Lowest Temperatures on Earth: Antarctica, Siberia, and Greenland
Antarctica: The Coldest Place on Earth
The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was −89.2°C (−128.6°F) at Vostok Station, Antarctica, on July 21, 1983. This record was confirmed through detailed meteorological analysis, which found that a combination of factors—such as a near-record low mid-tropospheric vortex, persistent circular air flow, low wind speeds, and clear skies—allowed for extreme radiative cooling at the surface. Researchers estimate that even lower temperatures, possibly down to −96°C, could be reached at higher sites like Dome Argus, which is typically 5–6°C colder than Vostok Station. Earlier records from the Antarctic interior, such as −87.4°C at Vostok in August 1958 and −74.5°C at the South Pole in September 1957, were surpassed by the 1983 measurement.
Northern Hemisphere Extremes: Siberia and Greenland
In the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest reliably recorded surface air temperatures have been observed in northeastern Siberia and Greenland. Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk, both in Siberia, have long competed for the title of the coldest inhabited place. Oymyakon recorded −67.7°C (−89.9°F) in February 1933, while Verkhoyansk has reported similar minima, with some sources suggesting a possible −69.8°C (−93.7°F)823.
Greenland set a new Northern Hemisphere record with a temperature of −69.6°C (−93.3°F) at the Klinck Automatic Weather Station on December 22, 1991. This reading was thoroughly evaluated and accepted by the World Meteorological Organization as the lowest near-surface air temperature for Greenland, the Northern and Western Hemispheres, and WMO Region VI. Previous records on the Greenland ice sheet included −66°C (−87°F) at the French central station in February 1950.
North America: Yukon’s Record
The lowest temperature recorded in North America was at Snag, Yukon Territory, Canada, in 1947, with values reported between −61.5°C (−78.7°F) and −62.7°C (−81°F).
High-Altitude and Upper-Atmosphere Records
While surface records are the most commonly cited, even lower temperatures have been measured in the upper atmosphere. For example, a temperature of −131.6°F was recorded at about 54,000 feet above Batavia, Java, and −133°F at 10.6 miles above the same region, far colder than any surface measurement36.
Conclusion
The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth is −89.2°C at Vostok Station, Antarctica, with the potential for even lower temperatures at higher Antarctic sites. In the Northern Hemisphere, the coldest confirmed surface temperature is −69.6°C at Klinck, Greenland, with Siberian locations like Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk also holding historic records near −68°C. These extremes highlight the unique climatic conditions of polar and high-altitude regions, where a combination of elevation, atmospheric circulation, and radiative cooling can produce the planet’s lowest temperatures12348910.
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