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How cold can winters become in eastern Siberia?
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Taiga
Boreal forest, Alaska, U.S., dominated by spruce trees (Picea).
In the taiga regions of eastern Siberia, winters are characterized by extreme cold due to the development of an intense high-pressure air mass over the continent.12
While mean January temperatures in this region are typically around −50 °C (−58 °F), temperatures can drop significantly lower. Northeastern Siberia is home to a "cold pole," where some of the lowest temperatures on Earth outside of Antarctica have been recorded. Specifically:12
- Verkhoyansk: Has recorded minimum temperatures as low as −89.7 °F (−67.6 °C).3
- Oymyakon: Has recorded temperatures as low as −96 °F (−71 °C).42
These extreme conditions are driven by the region's continental climate, where long winter nights and the absence of moderating influences from the ocean allow surface heat to escape into the atmosphere, resulting in persistent, bitter cold.12