The Absolute Coldest Places In The World

The Absolute Coldest Places in the World

Imagine a place where the climate is so harsh that the average temperature year-round is always in the negative, it snows almost half of the year, and harsh winds commonly set chills up your spine. Believe it or not, people actually live in these environments and call these destinations their home.

*Related: These Countries Have the Best Weather in the Whole Entire World

The truth is that if you live in one of the worlds coldest places you may slightly adjust to the climate, but if you're visiting, you must take caution. Cold weather – especially in a place with record-breaking low temperatures – brings many health hazards. Some of them include hypothermia, frostbite, colds and flu, heart attacks and depression.

With help from the annual records on weatherbase.com, I have compiled a list of the coldest places in the world.

Prospect Creek, Alaska, USA

Located about 180 miles from Fairbanks is one of the coldest places in the world – Prospect Creek. According to annual records from weatherbase.com, their lowest recorded temperature is -80 degrees Fahrenheit. Their average low temperature is 9.4 degrees Fahrenheit, their average number of days below 32F/0C is 235 and their average snowfall is about 77.1.

Eismitte, Greenland

Eismitte is known for having one of the coldest climates in the Northern Hemisphere. Annual records report that their lowest recorded temperature reached -85 degrees Fahrenheit and their average low is around -33 degrees Fahrenheit. Eismitte's average overall temperature is -22 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hell, Norway

So, Hell really does freeze over. In fact, for more than half of the year the village of Hell really does. Temperatures drop as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit (-25 degrees Celsius). Fun Fact: Many Norwegian's believe the word Hell actually means luck.

Vostok, Antarctica

On July 21, 1983 the record for the coldest temperature ever hit an all new low of -89.2 degrees Celsius (-128.5 degrees Fahrenheit) at Vostok, Antarctica, according to Current Results. The coldest month on record was August 1987, weather.com says. "The average temperature over the entire month was -104 degrees F."

Yakutsk, Siberia, Russia

When we think of Europe we usually think about beautiful beaches and stunning scenery. While this may be true for countries like Portugal and Spain, there is one destination in Russia that says otherwise – Yakutsk. Annual records report the lowest recorded temperature is -83.9 degrees Fahrenheit and the average low temperature is 6.6 degrees Fahrenheit.

Barrow, Alaska

This is the northernmost town in the United States, and by far one of the coldest. Annual records report the lowest recorded temperature in Barrow to be -56 degrees Fahrenheit. They receive an average of 80.5 snowy days and their average wind speed reaches 12.6 miles per hour.

Snag, Yukon, Canada

Although there are plenty of reasons why you should add Canada to your travel bucket list, you may want to avoid venturing off to the village of Snag. Annual records report the average low temperature to be 10 degrees Fahrenheit. But in 1947 they reached an all-time low of about -81.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Denali National Park, Alaska

Denali is one of the best places in the world to view the Northern Lights; but before you head outside, make sure you bundle up. According to the annual records report, this national park has an average low temperature of 17.1 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest recorded temperature is -66 degrees Fahrenheit and they get an average of 44.2 days of snow each year.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city in Mongolia. The lowest recorded temperature is -36 degrees Fahrenheit and they undergo approximately 222 days a year where the temperature is below 32F/0C, the annual records report states. Their average low temperature annually is 21 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rogers Pass, Montana, USA

Rising approximately 5,610 feet above sea level is Rogers Pass, one of the coldest places on earth. Annual records report -46 degrees Fahrenheit to be the lowest recorded temperature. Their average low is 31.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

North Ice, Greenland

North Ice is located in the northern part of Greenland. It was a British research station and is one of the coldest places in North America. The lowest temperature recorded here is -86.8 degrees Fahrenheit.

Verkhoyansk, Russia

This Russian town is located near the Arctic Circle. The annual records report states their lowest recorded temperature as -93.6 degrees Fahrenheit and their average low temperature as -4.2 degrees Fahrenheit. They receive an average of 119 days with snow and 59 rainy days each year.

Stanley, Idaho, USA

Planted at the foot of the Sawtooth Mountains is Stanley, a destination that boasts natural beauty, spectacular scenery and extremely harsh temperatures. The lowest recorded temperature here is -54 degrees Fahrenheit, and the average number of days each year below 32F/0C is 290.9, according to the annual records report.

Eureka, Canada

Eureka is a small research base; it has the lowest average annual temperature – 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit – of any weather station in Canada. Annual records report that the lowest recorded temperature here is -67.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and they have an average of 292.9 days where the weather is below 32F/0C.

Oymyakon, Russia

Located along the Indigirka River is the remote village of Oymyakon. It is home to an extreme subarctic climate. The winter temperatures in this region average -58 degrees Fahrenheit (-50 degrees Celsius). Fun Fact: Oymyakon means "unfrozen water."