7 coldest places on Earth

Whenever people think of places that stretch the limits of cold, it’s not out of place for Antarctica to immediately come to mind. But there are several remote locations whose temperatures push survival to the brink. 

Here are seven of the coldest known places on the earth, where scientific records and geography meet to create extremes few can imagine.

1. A ridge between Dome Argus and Dome Fuji, East Antarctic Plateau, Antarctica

According to NASA, this high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau has produced the lowest surface temperature ever measured from satellites: about –93.2 °C (–136 °F) during clear winter nights.

 These extreme lows were identified in data spanning decades, including from Landsat 8 and other remote sensors. 

2. Vostok Station, Antarctica

A Russian research station, Vostok, holds one of the coldest air temperature records measured at ground level: –89.2 °C (–128.6 °F) in July 1983. It remains a benchmark in the coldest places on Earth rankings. 

3. Oymyakon, Russia (Yakutia, Siberia)

Recognised as the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth, Oymyakon recorded –71.2 °C (–96.2 °F). Winters are brutal here; average winter temperatures hover close to –50 °C. Life here demands adaptation to the cold as much as the cold demands respect. 

4. Verkhoyansk, Russia

Also in Siberia, Verkhoyansk is famous for its temperature swings. It once dropped to about –67.8 °C (–90 °F) in winter, yet summer temperatures can climb quite high. Vernacular extremes make it another of the coldest places on Earth where people reside. 

5. Denali (Mount McKinley), Alaska, USA

North America’s highest peak is also one of its coldest spots. Denali’s summit has seen temperatures well below –60 °C in winter under certain conditions. Its altitude and geography combine for extreme cold. 

6. Snag, Yukon, Canada

A small settlement with a big cold record: Snag recorded –62.2 °C (or around –60 °C) in 1947. Its remoteness and continental position contribute to its cold climate. 

7. Eismitte, Greenland

Located in the interior of the Greenland ice sheet, Eismitte experiences extremely low temperatures, often dropping below –60 °C. It is remote, uninhabitable year-round, but vital for research into climate and glaciology.