The coldest place on Earth is a high ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau in Antarctica, near Dome Argus and Dome Fuji. Temperatures in several hollows there have been recorded by satellites to dip below minus 133.6°F (minus 92°C) on clear winter nights, with a record low surface temperature of about minus 136°F (minus 93.2°C) measured on August 10, 2010
. This is colder than the previous official record of minus 128.6°F (minus 89.2°C) recorded at the Russian Vostok Research Station in East Antarctica in 1983
. The temperature recorded by satellites is the "skin" temperature of the ice surface, which can be even colder than the air temperature measured a few meters above the ground. The official coldest air temperature recognized by the World Meteorological Organization remains the Vostok Station record of −89.2°C (−128.6°F)
. In summary:
- Coldest place: High ridge on the East Antarctic Plateau (between Dome Argus and Dome Fuji)
- Record surface temperature: About −136°F (−93.2°C) on August 10, 2010 (satellite measurement)
- Previous official coldest air temperature: −128.6°F (−89.2°C) at Vostok Station in 1983
This location is the coldest known on Earth, far colder than any inhabited place, such as northeastern Siberia where temperatures can drop to around −67.8°C (−90°F)
