What city is the coldest in the world?

Temperatures in the world's coldest city have plunged to minus 62.7°C (minus 80.9 degrees Fahrenheit) -- the coldest in more than two decades, meteorologists say. That comes just two days after the city's previously set record of minus 50 degrees Celsius (minus 58 degrees Fahrenheit). Yakutsk, the capital city of Russia's Sakha Republic in eastern Siberia, is widely identified as being one of the coldest places in the world. Large parts of Russia are currently experiencing record-low temperatures and Yakutsk is seeing an abnormally long cold snap.

More than 300,000 people live and work in Yakutsk, which is one of Siberia’s fastest-growing regional cities, despite its cold temperatures and a far-flung location, 3,100 miles from Moscow. Located on the Lena River, Yakutsk is a mining city—and wages can sometimes be higher there, a payoff for the harsh climate. It also attracts adventurous tourists intrigued by the city’s frosty reputation.

The air in Yakutsk is often cold enough to make exposed skin go numb, which, if can lead to frostbite. But even so, some locals seem unfazed. The city is built on continuous permafrost, meaning that a layer of frozen soil is present even in the summer. The city is built on continuous permafrost, meaning that a layer of frozen soil is present even in the summer. Many buildings are constructed on stilts because of these conditions, which can threaten structures’ foundations when the frost starts to thaw.