Winter in Oymyakon, Russia
© Alexandr Berdicevschi/Getty Image
Northern 'Pole of Cold'. Oymyakon, Russia
Oymyakon, Russia, is one of a few places claiming to be the coldest spot in the Northern Hemisphere, a northern 'Pole of Cold.' Centuries of evolving meteorological technology means some historic cold temperatures are considered more accurate than others. The record for ultimate cold is a hot debate.
Oymyakon's claim may be strongest, though. The Siberian town has a verified low-temperature record of minus 89.9 degrees Fahrenheit in 1933 – though if local lore and a Soviet-era monument are accurate, the true low was notched a decade earlier at minus 96.2.
By the way, the southern Pole of Cold blows all claimants to the northern record away like fresh-fallen snow: Russia's Vostok Station, in Antarctica, once recorded a low of minus 128.6! Think the Russians brought the cold with them?
Related Images
Young humpback whale giving its mother a hug off the coast of Tonga
The Church of St. Thomas above the village of Praprotno, for Slovenia Independence and Unity Day
Scenic view of frozen lake, Ladakh.
Eibsee lake at the base of Zugspitze mountain, Bavaria, Germany
The Mount Washington Observatory in New Hampshire, USA
Adélie penguins at Possession Island, Antarctica
The whirlpool in Myllykoski scenic area at winter in Oulanka National Park, Kuusamo, Finland
Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state, USA
Bing Today Images
