The village where winter lasts for seven months of the year

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Oymyakon is the coldest permanently inhabited settlement on Earth, a place so frigid that schools close if temperatures drop below −55 °C (−67 °F). It sits in a geographic trap where mountains and valleys conspire to hold cold air prisoner, creating a landscape of continuous permafrost.

The extreme climate of Oymyakon is driven by unique topographical features. The village is situated between two main valleys that trap wind and prevent warm air from circulating. Surrounded by mountains, the area acts as a basin where cold air pools; notably, recent studies show winter temperatures can actually increase with altitude by up to 10 °C (18 °F) because of this pooling effect. This isolation is compounded by its distance from the ocean and the fact that it receives only a few hours of daylight during the Siberian winter.

The temperature extremes here are among the most dramatic on the planet. Sharing the global peak for thermal variation with Verkhoyansk, Oymyakon saw a gap of 102.3 °C (184.1 °F), spanning from its July 28, 2010 maximum of 34.6 °C (94.3 °F) to the January 4 minimum of −27.9 °C (−18.2 °F). While the winters are brutal—with temperatures remaining below freezing from late September to mid-April—the summers can be surprisingly mild or even hot, with daily highs exceeding 30 °C (86 °F).

Human life in Oymyakon is defined by these cycles of extremes. The local economy relies on fur trading and ice fishing, while the population has dwindled from a peak of roughly 2,500 to fewer than 900 as of 2018. Despite the harshness, the region remains inhabited by Orthodox Christians, non-religious residents, and followers of Aiyy Faith and Shamanism. The ground remains permanently frozen (continuous permafrost), and only a few hardy trees, like the Dahurian larch, can survive in this designated plant hardiness zone 0a.

Historically, the region served as a strategic point during World War II, hosting an airfield for the Alaska-Siberian (ALSIB) air route to ferry American aircraft. Today, it stands as a testament to human endurance near the historic Road of Bones.

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