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Europe has witnessed some of the most frigid temperatures ever recorded, predominantly in its northern and eastern regions. These extreme cold spells are typically associated with harsh winter weather phenomena, including the intrusion of polar air masses, the passage of cold fronts, and arctic outbreaks. Throughout European countries, record-breaking low temperatures have etched memorable moments into the continent’s meteorological history.
In Russia, which extends across both Europe and Asia, the village of Oymyakon, situated in remote Siberia, stands out. Oymyakon holds the distinction of being the coldest inhabited place on Earth, as it recorded an astonishing temperature of -67.7 degrees Celsius (-89.9 degrees Fahrenheit) in February 1933. This extreme cold is a testament to the formidable winters experienced in Russia’s vast territory.
In Finland, renowned for its harsh winters, a bone-chilling -51.5 degrees Celsius (-60.7 degrees Fahrenheit) was recorded in December 1941 in the Finnish Lapland. Sweden, another northern European nation, witnessed its share of extreme cold, with Vuoggatjålme in Lapland reporting -52.6 degrees Celsius (-62.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in February 1966.
Norway, with its mountainous landscapes and northern latitude, is susceptible to remarkably low temperatures. In January 1886, the municipality of Karasjok in northern Norway recorded a numbing -51.4 degrees Celsius (-60.5 degrees Fahrenheit). The Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have also experienced extreme cold, with temperatures dropping to -43.5 degrees Celsius (-46.3 degrees Fahrenheit) in Narva-Jõesuu (Estonia), -43.2 degrees Celsius (-45.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in Daugavpils (Latvia), and -42.9 degrees Celsius (-45.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Zarasai (Lithuania).
Even Spain, a country typically associated with milder Mediterranean climates, known for its generally temperate weather, had its cold moments. In December 1963, the city of Teruel in the Aragon region recorded a temperature as low as -32 degrees Celsius (-25.6 degrees Fahrenheit).
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