Have you ever thought about how cold actually feels? Keep in mind, it does not relate to a brisk morning in London or a snowy day in the mountain areas of the world. We are talking about the cold that turns boiling water into ice and freezes your eyelash in a few seconds.
Our planet, the Earth, is home to some extremely cold places. It has the places where human existence is tested to its extreme or absolute limit. These coldest places on Earth lie from the high-altitude plateaus of Antarctica to Siberia’s isolated villages.
In this blog post, learn about the 10 coldest places on Earth, whether they are lonely research stations or inhabited towns. Each of them gives a fascinating look at life and human survival. Keep reading it till the end.
The Coldest Place on Earth – Understand the Records
Before learning about the coldest places in the world, it is essential to understand how they are measured. It is measured in 2 ways: some records are taken from ground stations, while others are from satellite measurements.
The satellite measured the lowest temperature of -98°C. On the other hand, official world records usually relate to ground-level temperature measurements.
10 Coldest Places on Earth
The high ridge of the East Antarctic Plateau comes to mind when it comes to naming the coldest place on Earth. It is a lifeless place that serves as a research site. When we talk about the coldest place with life, Siberia’s remote areas come to mind. Here, learn about the places with the lowest temperatures in descending order whether they have inhabitants or not:
1. Vostok Station, Antarctica (Record Low: -89.2°C)
Vostok Station ranks 1st on the list of the world’s coldest places. It was set by the Soviet Union in 1957. This research station lies in the middle of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.
It is not just the latitude that makes it freezing; it is its altitude.
It sits nearly 3,500 metres above sea level. This research station is located in thin air with no moisture. It does not see the sun for months. In 1983, it recorded the lowest natural temperature ever measured by a ground station.
2. Plateau Station, Antarctica (Record Low: -86.2°C)
Another Antarctic heavyweight, Plateau Station, was a remote American research outpost. Though it is now inactive, it remains one of the coldest spots ever documented. This station recorded bone-chilling average temperatures during its short life in the 1960s. The station is so isolated even today, it remains a ghost-like structure buried under decades of snow.
3. Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica (Record Low: -82.8°C)
This research station lies at the Geographic South Pole. It is home to scientists year-round. In the summer, temperatures are well below freezing. The winter at this station is quite different.
The sun never rises from March to September. Researchers living here must prepare themselves to live six months of darkness and temperatures that rarely rise above -50°C.
4. Dome Argus, Antarctica (Record Low: -82.5°C)
Dome Argus (or Dome A) is the highest point on the Antarctic Plateau. According to recent satellite data, the hollows near this dome might actually be the coldest spots on the entire planet, potentially hitting -90°C or lower.
However, its official ground-level record remains slightly higher than Vostok’s. It is, as there isn’t a permanent weather station at the exact “coldest” point.
5. Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska, USA (Record Low: -73.8°C)
Moving away from Antarctica, North America has its own frozen giant. Denali is the highest peak on the continent. Because of its northern latitude and extreme height, the “wind chill” here can be lethal.
In 2003, a weather station recorded a temperature and showed that Denali is the coldest mountain on Earth. It left the peaks of the Himalayas behind.
6. Klinck Research Station, Greenland (Record Low: -69.6°C)
Greenland isn’t just a land of ice; it’s a land of record-breaking freezes. For a long time, the Northern Hemisphere record was held by Siberia.
However, data from the Klinck Research Station in the heart of the Greenland ice sheet revealed a new low in the 1990s. It is a bleak, wind-swept landscape where the ice can reach over 3 kilometres in thickness.
7. Oymyakon, Russia (Record Low: -67.7°C)
Oymyakon is legendary. Why? Because, unlike the research stations mentioned above, people actually live here. This Siberian village is known as the “Pole of Cold.”
In Oymyakon, children only get the day off school if the temperature drops below -55°C. Daily life is a series of challenges:
People keep their cars running 24/7 to safeguard them from freezing solid.
Pipes burst instantly if experts try outdoor plumbing.
People have to eat only reindeer meat or frozen fish because other food items are unavailable.
8. Verkhoyansk, Russia (Record Low: -67.8°C)
Just a few hundred miles from Oymyakon, Verkhoyansk sits. For over a century, these two towns have battled for the title of the coldest inhabited place. Verkhoyansk is unique for having one of the most significant temperature ranges on Earth. While winter is deadly cold, summer temperatures can reach 38°C!
9. North Ice, Greenland (Record Low: -66.1°C)
North Ice was a research station used by the British North Greenland Expedition in the 1950s. It sits high on the ice cap, far from the relatively “warmer” coast. The team here spent years studying the ice and weather, proving that Greenland’s interior is far more hostile than anyone had previously imagined.
10. Snag, Yukon, Canada (Record Low: -63.0°C)
Our list ends in Canada. Snag, a small village, lies in the Yukon territory of Canada. It recorded the lowest temperature in 1947. The temperature on the town’s thermometer dropped.
Locals reported that the air was so still and cold that they could hear people talking from miles away, as the dense air carried sound much further than usual.
- How People Survive in the “Deep Freeze”
Your mind might have a question like, “How do people live in cold places in Siberia or Canada ?” Living in those places relates to the places’ resilience, traditions, and unique way of life. - The Gear
In these temperatures, standard winter coats will not cut it. Locals often wear heavy furs (like reindeer or wolf) because natural fur breathes better and doesn’t trap moisture that can turn into ice. - The Food
When the ground is frozen solid for 10 months of the year, agriculture is a dream. The diet in places like Siberia contains high fat. Thinly sliced raw, frozen fish is a local delicacy. The delicacy provides the necessary calories to keep a human’s internal organs functioning. - The Tech
Modern technology struggles in the cold. Smartphone batteries die in minutes, and plastic becomes brittle, snapping like glass. Old school methods like wood-fired heating and mechanical tools work better in these regions. They are more reliable than high-tech gadgets.
Conclusion
The 10 coldest places on Earth remind us of nature’s incredible power. These places hold haunting beauty and pure, clean air. Something is awe-inspiring about the scientists and residents who call these frozen frontiers home, while most of us are happy to stick to our heated homes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Which is the coldest place on Earth?
The Vostok Station in Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. In 1983, the lowest recorded temperature was −89.2 °C.
Q2. Which is the coldest continent?
Antarctica is the coldest continent. No one lives here. It has 4 to 5 research stations only.
Q3. Which is the coldest city in the world?
Yakutsk in Russia is the coldest city in the world. It experiences extreme Siberian winters and its low temperatures go down -40°C to -50°C.
Q4. Which are the coldest countries in the world?
Russia, Greenland, Mongolia, and Canada are the coldest countries in the world.
