Pole of Cold – Oymyakon
Oymyakon (Yakut Өймөкөөн) is a village in Oymyakon District of Yakutia, on the left bank of the Indigirka River.
Oymyakon is known as one of the “Poles of Cold” on the planet. According to a number of criteria, the Oymyakon Valley is the harshest inhabited place on Earth.
Oymyakon is the center of the rural settlement of the 1st Borogon community, which also includes the villages of Bereg-Yurdeh and Khara-Tumul.
Climate
Oymyakon has a rather complex type of climate due to the village’s latitude at 63.27 degrees (circumpolar latitudes), great remoteness fr om the ocean (hyper continental climate), its location at an altitude of 741 m above the sea level (altitude belt influences). In winter, cold air flows into the village, as it is located in a basin. Summers are short, with a big difference in daily temperatures; during the daytime it can be +30°C and above, but at night the temperature can drop by 15–20°C.
Today the average monthly temperature for January in Oymyakon is -54.1°C. The average temperature in Oymyakon and some other areas of Yakutia in January is -47.0°C, and often falls below -50°C, which makes Yakutia the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere, along with Greenland. There is an ongoing debate about which of Yakutia’s settlements, Oymyakon or Verkhoyansk, should be considered the Pole of Cold of the Northern Hemisphere. Oymyakon recorded the lowest temperature of -67.7°C in 1933, whilst Verkhoyansk recorded -67.8°C in 1892 (no observations were made in Oymyakon at that time). However, unofficially, in 1924, academician Sergey Obruchev recorded a temperature of -71.2°C in Oymyakon. [3] In addition, according to the Main Geophysical Observatory, the absolute annual minimums in Oymyakon are lower than in Verkhoyansk by an average of 3.5°C. [4] Thus, the officially recorded minimum in Verkhoyansk is 0.1°C lower than in Oymyakon, but no observations had been made in the latter in those years, and it is very likely that temperatures were even lower there at that time.
On February 1, 2002, -64.6°C was recorded in Oymyakon, which was the absolute lowest temperature for February in the village and one of the coldest days for the period of meteorological observations. On January 31, 2011, it was -61.2°C. The lowest surface temperature of snow or soil (as the lowest temperature in Oymyakon is always recorded in winter, when there is a stable snow cover) was -69.6°C at the ground.
Wet precipitation can fall only from May to September, while solid precipitation in the form of snow can fall in any month of the year. Day length in Oymyakon is 20 hours 28 minutes on June 22, and 4 hours 36 minutes on December 22.
The average annual day length in Oymyakon is 12 hours 32 minutes. Almost every year in winter, the lowest temperature in Oymyakon is -60°C. For comparison, the average temperature in January in the village is only several degrees higher than the average annual temperature in the coldest place on Earth – Vostok Station (-56.3°C), the absolute lowest temperature in recent years in Oymyakon.
The average monthly temperatures in Oymyakon. By the lowest temperatures, the village ranks third among the places wh ere meteorological observations have been conducted. Without taking into account the data of 1916 and considering the lowest temperature of -77.8°C, even then Oymakon will take the third place in the list of absolute minimums for settlements.
Vostok Station, Antarctica -89.6°C
Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole, Antarctica -82.8°C
Oymyakon -82.0°C
Mean monthly temperatures in Oymyakon
January -54.1°C
February -50.2°C
March -38.6°C
April -21.6°C
May -4.2°C
June +8.8°C
July +11.1°C
August +7.4°C
September -1.9°C
October -24.1°C
November -45.7°C
December -52.2°C
Winter (1. 12-29.02) -52,2°C
Spring (1.03-31.05) -21,5°C
Summer (1.06-31.08) +9,1°C
Autumn (1.09-30.11) -23,9°C
Annual -22,1°C
At the moment, the Yakutian authorities have decided the dispute in favor of Verkhoyansk,[4]; however, the issue remains open: a number of scientists and meteorological observations clearly point to the advantage of Oymyakon in the dispute for “frost superiority of the Northern Hemisphere”. Although the lowest average monthly temperature in Verkhoyansk in January is 3 degrees lower than in Oymyakon (-57.1°C in 1957), as well as lower on average in January, February, April, June, July, August and December, according to today’s data the average annual temperature in Oymyakon is 0.3 degrees lower than in Verkhoyansk, and the absolute minimum is 12.2 degrees lower according to unofficial data. If we take official data, the temperature exceeds 4.4 degrees.
The lowest average monthly temperature in Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk, Comparison
Oymyakon.
January 3.0 higher
February 0.6 higher
March 1.4 lower
April 0.7 higher
May 1.3 lower
June 0.3 higher
July 0.2 higher
August 0.6 higher
September 0.4 lower
October 2.0 lower
November 1.3 lower
December 0.4 higher
Winter 1.3 higher
Spring 0.7 lower
Summer 0.4 higher
Autumn 1.2 lower
Year -0.05
Average minimum 4.6 lower
Temperature observations methodology
It is necessary to clarify the location of meteorological observations. Regular meteorological observations are conducted at the Oymyakon airport, which is located 40 km from the settlement of the same name and 2 km from the Tomtor settlement. However, when talking about minimum temperatures, it is Oymyakon that is always mentioned. This is due to the fact that Oymyakon is not only the name of the village, but also the name of the district.
In addition to extreme cold in winter, the temperature in summer in Oymyakon can be hot above +30°С. The difference between absolute maximum and minimum temperatures is more than a hundred degrees, and by this indicator Oymyakon ranks among the first in the world.
There is some evidence that in 1938 the temperature in the settlement was recorded -77.8°C [5]. This proves that Oymyakon, when adjusted to one altitude above sea level, is the coldest place on the planet.
On July 28, 2010, the highest temperature (as well as monthly and absolute) was recorded in Oymyakon village. At that time the air warmed up to +34.6°C.
The lowest temperature on Earth (-89.2°C) was recorded at the Antarctic Vostok station, but the station is located at an altitude of 3,488 m above the sea level, and if we bring both temperature indicators to the sea level, Oymyakon will be recognized as the absolute champion. According to unofficial data, on the night of January 5-6, 1916, the temperature in the settlement fell to -82°C, which is only 7.2 higher than the absolute minimum on the planet, which was recorded 67.5 years later, on 21.07.1983 at the Soviet polar station Vostok. Then the absolute minimum at the same station was equal to -88.3°C, i.e. in Oymyakon it was only 6.3 higher. The average annual temperature in Oymyakon is -22.1°C, which is the coldest average value of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth.
For comparison, the average annual temperature at Vostok station is -55.6°C, as the climate there is less hyper continental (due to the polar night), and the altitude above the sea level is 3,488 meters, which is 2,747 meters higher than in Oymyakon.
Even in the two warmest months of the year, June and July, the temperature in the village can drop to -9.7°C and -9.3°C, respectively. The absolute maximum in Oymyakon is 34.6°C. Among the 11 minimums on Earth from -65°C to the minimum, Oymyakon takes the third and fourth place. A list of these temperatures is given below.
1) -89.6°C Vostok station, Antarctica
2) -88.3°C Vostok station, Antarctica
3) -82.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
4) -82.0°C Oymyakon, Russia
5) -77.8°C Oymyakon, Russia
6) -71.2°C Tomtor, Russia
7) -69.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
8) -69.6°C Oymyakon, Russia
9) -67.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
10) -67.7°C Oymyakon, Russia
11) -67.6°C Oymyakon, Russia
12) -65.4°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
13) -65.0°C Delyankir, Yakutsk (both in Russia).
Climate of Oymyakon (data from 1943)
Indicator Jan. Feb. March. Apr. May. June. July Avg. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year
Absolute maximum, °C
-16.6 -15.3 2.0 11.7 26.2 31.1 34.6 33.1 23.7 11.0 -2.1 -6.5 34,6
Mean minimum, °C -57.1 -50.8 -40 -23.9 -4.7 4.0 4.0 6.2 2.2 2.6 -3.8 -24.1 -45.7 -52.6 -22.1
Absolute minimum, °C -77.8 -64.6 -60.6 -46.4 -28.9 -9.7 -9.3 -17.1 -25.3 -47.6 -58.5 -69.6 -77.8
Source: Weather and Climate
The temperature can be as low as -17.1°C in August, and in September the temperature can be as low as -25°C degrees. The thermometer in October dropped to -48.7°C (almost -50°C), in November it may reach -58.5°C degrees (almost -60°C), in December the temperature may drop to -64.5°C (almost -65°C), in January the temperature may drop to -77.8°C, in February -64.6°C (almost -65°C), in March in the history of observations still observed 60-degree frost, in April can be up to -46.4°C, in May the air can cool down to-28.9°C, in June and July to -9.7°C and -9.3°C, respectively (almost -10°C in both cases). Temperature rise in the village to -29.4°C in winter may become a new absolute maximum temperature, in summertime on any day of June and July the temperature may fall below -2°C. From December 8 to March 10 the temperature can be below -60°C, from November 17 to March 15 the air can cool down below -55°C, from November 5 to March 24 the temperature can fall below -50°C, from October 21 to April 8 it can be below -45°C, from October 18 to April 17 it can be below -40°C (about half of the year in Oymyakon can be forty-degree frosts), from October 13 to April 28 it can be below -35°C, from October 3 to April 29 it can be below -30°C, from September 28 to May 5 it can be below -25°C, from September 18 to May 15 (almost three quarters of the year) it can be below -20°C, from August 31 to May 21 it can be below -15°C, from August 20 to May 30 it can be below -10°C.
http://oymiakon.ru/
Oymyakon is the center of the rural settlement of the 1st Borogon community, which also includes the villages of Bereg-Yurdeh and Khara-Tumul.
Climate
Oymyakon has a rather complex type of climate due to the village’s latitude at 63.27 degrees (circumpolar latitudes), great remoteness fr om the ocean (hyper continental climate), its location at an altitude of 741 m above the sea level (altitude belt influences). In winter, cold air flows into the village, as it is located in a basin. Summers are short, with a big difference in daily temperatures; during the daytime it can be +30°C and above, but at night the temperature can drop by 15–20°C.
Today the average monthly temperature for January in Oymyakon is -54.1°C. The average temperature in Oymyakon and some other areas of Yakutia in January is -47.0°C, and often falls below -50°C, which makes Yakutia the coldest place in the Northern Hemisphere, along with Greenland. There is an ongoing debate about which of Yakutia’s settlements, Oymyakon or Verkhoyansk, should be considered the Pole of Cold of the Northern Hemisphere. Oymyakon recorded the lowest temperature of -67.7°C in 1933, whilst Verkhoyansk recorded -67.8°C in 1892 (no observations were made in Oymyakon at that time). However, unofficially, in 1924, academician Sergey Obruchev recorded a temperature of -71.2°C in Oymyakon. [3] In addition, according to the Main Geophysical Observatory, the absolute annual minimums in Oymyakon are lower than in Verkhoyansk by an average of 3.5°C. [4] Thus, the officially recorded minimum in Verkhoyansk is 0.1°C lower than in Oymyakon, but no observations had been made in the latter in those years, and it is very likely that temperatures were even lower there at that time.
On February 1, 2002, -64.6°C was recorded in Oymyakon, which was the absolute lowest temperature for February in the village and one of the coldest days for the period of meteorological observations. On January 31, 2011, it was -61.2°C. The lowest surface temperature of snow or soil (as the lowest temperature in Oymyakon is always recorded in winter, when there is a stable snow cover) was -69.6°C at the ground.
Wet precipitation can fall only from May to September, while solid precipitation in the form of snow can fall in any month of the year. Day length in Oymyakon is 20 hours 28 minutes on June 22, and 4 hours 36 minutes on December 22.
The average annual day length in Oymyakon is 12 hours 32 minutes. Almost every year in winter, the lowest temperature in Oymyakon is -60°C. For comparison, the average temperature in January in the village is only several degrees higher than the average annual temperature in the coldest place on Earth – Vostok Station (-56.3°C), the absolute lowest temperature in recent years in Oymyakon.
The average monthly temperatures in Oymyakon. By the lowest temperatures, the village ranks third among the places wh ere meteorological observations have been conducted. Without taking into account the data of 1916 and considering the lowest temperature of -77.8°C, even then Oymakon will take the third place in the list of absolute minimums for settlements.
Vostok Station, Antarctica -89.6°C
Amundsen-Scott Station, South Pole, Antarctica -82.8°C
Oymyakon -82.0°C
Mean monthly temperatures in Oymyakon
January -54.1°C
February -50.2°C
March -38.6°C
April -21.6°C
May -4.2°C
June +8.8°C
July +11.1°C
August +7.4°C
September -1.9°C
October -24.1°C
November -45.7°C
December -52.2°C
Winter (1. 12-29.02) -52,2°C
Spring (1.03-31.05) -21,5°C
Summer (1.06-31.08) +9,1°C
Autumn (1.09-30.11) -23,9°C
Annual -22,1°C
At the moment, the Yakutian authorities have decided the dispute in favor of Verkhoyansk,[4]; however, the issue remains open: a number of scientists and meteorological observations clearly point to the advantage of Oymyakon in the dispute for “frost superiority of the Northern Hemisphere”. Although the lowest average monthly temperature in Verkhoyansk in January is 3 degrees lower than in Oymyakon (-57.1°C in 1957), as well as lower on average in January, February, April, June, July, August and December, according to today’s data the average annual temperature in Oymyakon is 0.3 degrees lower than in Verkhoyansk, and the absolute minimum is 12.2 degrees lower according to unofficial data. If we take official data, the temperature exceeds 4.4 degrees.
The lowest average monthly temperature in Oymyakon and Verkhoyansk, Comparison
Oymyakon.
January 3.0 higher
February 0.6 higher
March 1.4 lower
April 0.7 higher
May 1.3 lower
June 0.3 higher
July 0.2 higher
August 0.6 higher
September 0.4 lower
October 2.0 lower
November 1.3 lower
December 0.4 higher
Winter 1.3 higher
Spring 0.7 lower
Summer 0.4 higher
Autumn 1.2 lower
Year -0.05
Average minimum 4.6 lower
Temperature observations methodology
It is necessary to clarify the location of meteorological observations. Regular meteorological observations are conducted at the Oymyakon airport, which is located 40 km from the settlement of the same name and 2 km from the Tomtor settlement. However, when talking about minimum temperatures, it is Oymyakon that is always mentioned. This is due to the fact that Oymyakon is not only the name of the village, but also the name of the district.
In addition to extreme cold in winter, the temperature in summer in Oymyakon can be hot above +30°С. The difference between absolute maximum and minimum temperatures is more than a hundred degrees, and by this indicator Oymyakon ranks among the first in the world.
There is some evidence that in 1938 the temperature in the settlement was recorded -77.8°C [5]. This proves that Oymyakon, when adjusted to one altitude above sea level, is the coldest place on the planet.
On July 28, 2010, the highest temperature (as well as monthly and absolute) was recorded in Oymyakon village. At that time the air warmed up to +34.6°C.
The lowest temperature on Earth (-89.2°C) was recorded at the Antarctic Vostok station, but the station is located at an altitude of 3,488 m above the sea level, and if we bring both temperature indicators to the sea level, Oymyakon will be recognized as the absolute champion. According to unofficial data, on the night of January 5-6, 1916, the temperature in the settlement fell to -82°C, which is only 7.2 higher than the absolute minimum on the planet, which was recorded 67.5 years later, on 21.07.1983 at the Soviet polar station Vostok. Then the absolute minimum at the same station was equal to -88.3°C, i.e. in Oymyakon it was only 6.3 higher. The average annual temperature in Oymyakon is -22.1°C, which is the coldest average value of the Northern Hemisphere of the Earth.
For comparison, the average annual temperature at Vostok station is -55.6°C, as the climate there is less hyper continental (due to the polar night), and the altitude above the sea level is 3,488 meters, which is 2,747 meters higher than in Oymyakon.
Even in the two warmest months of the year, June and July, the temperature in the village can drop to -9.7°C and -9.3°C, respectively. The absolute maximum in Oymyakon is 34.6°C. Among the 11 minimums on Earth from -65°C to the minimum, Oymyakon takes the third and fourth place. A list of these temperatures is given below.
1) -89.6°C Vostok station, Antarctica
2) -88.3°C Vostok station, Antarctica
3) -82.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
4) -82.0°C Oymyakon, Russia
5) -77.8°C Oymyakon, Russia
6) -71.2°C Tomtor, Russia
7) -69.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
8) -69.6°C Oymyakon, Russia
9) -67.8°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
10) -67.7°C Oymyakon, Russia
11) -67.6°C Oymyakon, Russia
12) -65.4°C Verkhoyansk, Russia
13) -65.0°C Delyankir, Yakutsk (both in Russia).
Climate of Oymyakon (data from 1943)
Indicator Jan. Feb. March. Apr. May. June. July Avg. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Year
Absolute maximum, °C
-16.6 -15.3 2.0 11.7 26.2 31.1 34.6 33.1 23.7 11.0 -2.1 -6.5 34,6
Mean minimum, °C -57.1 -50.8 -40 -23.9 -4.7 4.0 4.0 6.2 2.2 2.6 -3.8 -24.1 -45.7 -52.6 -22.1
Absolute minimum, °C -77.8 -64.6 -60.6 -46.4 -28.9 -9.7 -9.3 -17.1 -25.3 -47.6 -58.5 -69.6 -77.8
Source: Weather and Climate
The temperature can be as low as -17.1°C in August, and in September the temperature can be as low as -25°C degrees. The thermometer in October dropped to -48.7°C (almost -50°C), in November it may reach -58.5°C degrees (almost -60°C), in December the temperature may drop to -64.5°C (almost -65°C), in January the temperature may drop to -77.8°C, in February -64.6°C (almost -65°C), in March in the history of observations still observed 60-degree frost, in April can be up to -46.4°C, in May the air can cool down to-28.9°C, in June and July to -9.7°C and -9.3°C, respectively (almost -10°C in both cases). Temperature rise in the village to -29.4°C in winter may become a new absolute maximum temperature, in summertime on any day of June and July the temperature may fall below -2°C. From December 8 to March 10 the temperature can be below -60°C, from November 17 to March 15 the air can cool down below -55°C, from November 5 to March 24 the temperature can fall below -50°C, from October 21 to April 8 it can be below -45°C, from October 18 to April 17 it can be below -40°C (about half of the year in Oymyakon can be forty-degree frosts), from October 13 to April 28 it can be below -35°C, from October 3 to April 29 it can be below -30°C, from September 28 to May 5 it can be below -25°C, from September 18 to May 15 (almost three quarters of the year) it can be below -20°C, from August 31 to May 21 it can be below -15°C, from August 20 to May 30 it can be below -10°C.
http://oymiakon.ru/