The Coldest Place On Earth

Brrrrr, in case you haven't noticed, it is FREEZING in the Flour City (and in 2/3's of the country)! While we all complain about the weather and accompanying frigid temps, allow me to offer some perspective:


Right now, 
in the Russian village of Oymyakon, it is -44 degrees. Yes, that's a negative in front of that 44. And that's not even the coldest it'll get. The residents of Oymyakon probably think nothing of -44, as a matter of fact. Why? Because Oymyakon's claim to fame, besides some fantastic reindeer breeding, is that it is the coldest permanently inhabited area on earth. The only place that's colder? Antarctica. 

In 1924, a Russian scientist by the name of Sergey Obrychev (you're familiar with his work, right?), registered the lowest temperature ever recorded at the weather station there. You ready for this? The temperature was a whopping -96.2. Can you even breath without your insides freezing at that temperature?! This temperature is the lowest recorded temperature recorded in the Northern Hemisphere. The only place that has recorded lower temperatures? Yep, you guessed it. Antarctica.

Here's what I find interesting - although temperatures can drop below the freezing point in September, and may remain in the negative until mid-May...the summers in Oymyakon are rather mild. The average temperature for August is a balmy 76 degrees. Talk about a shock to the system!

I know what you're thinking. Why in the world would anyone live in a place where it's freezing 7 months of the year? Well, if you happen to talk to one of the 500 residents there, let me know, because I wonder the same thing. Incase you're wondering what the 500 villagers do there, besides shiver - the principle industry is very traditional, with fur trading and ice fishing stalwarts of the local economy. The people that do have jobs, are either reindeer breeders, hunters, fisherman, or they work at the one store in town.

Here are some other interesting facts I found out about Oymyakon: There is no cell phone service there. Even if there were, cell phones wouldn't work in those temperatures. Since the ground is permanently frozen, no farming takes place - there is just one shop that provides food and material needs for the entire village. They can't wear glasses outside - they'll freeze right to their faces. If they want to go anywhere, they have to keep their cars running, otherwise they probably won't turn back on (by the way, the nearest town is a 3 day drive). The best part? MOST BUILDINGS DON'T HAVE INDOOR PLUMBING!!!

See? Let's consider ourselves lucky. If anyone complains about the weather to you ever again, now you can say "Hey, it could be worse. We could be living in Oymyakon."