World Temperature Records Explained: Highest and Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded

What Are the Highest and Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded?

The two most widely recognized global station air-temperature benchmarks are the Death Valley heat record and the Vostok Station cold record.

What This World Temperature Records Page Covers

This specialist pillar focuses on the geography of record temperatures.

This page covers:

• global record highs and lows;
• Northern and Southern Hemisphere records;
• continental and WMO-region records;
• Arctic and Antarctic record categories;
• national temperature records;
• famous record locations;
• inhabited-place extremes;
• official air temperature versus surface-temperature claims;
• current status of famous disputed records;
• world temperature-record maps.

This page does not duplicate:

• the complete taxonomy of daily, monthly and annual records;
• detailed station-siting rules;
• the full WMO verification procedure;
• record-high versus record-low statistics;
• how climate distributions alter record frequency;
• heat-wave and cold-wave mechanisms;
• temperature-anomaly interpretation.

Those broader topics belong in the
Temperature Records cornerstone,
the
verification pillar,
or the separate
Temperature Extremes cluster.

Official Air Temperature vs Surface Temperature, Heat Index and Wind Chill

Headlines describing the “hottest” or “coldest” temperature on Earth frequently combine measurements that are not directly comparable.

World Record-High Temperature

The most widely recognized official global air-temperature record is:

This reading remains the benchmark listed by the principal international weather-extremes archive and by the United States national extremes system.

Because the observation dates from 1913, meteorologists and weather historians have repeatedly discussed the quality of the historical evidence. Its official standing and its scientific debate should therefore be presented together rather than pretending the controversy does not exist.

Other exceptionally high verified readings

• Mitribah, Kuwait: 53.9°C / 129.0°F on July 21, 2016.
• Turbat, Pakistan: 53.7°C / 128.7°F on May 28, 2017.
• Basra, Iraq: among the modern stations associated with temperatures above 53°C.
• Furnace Creek, USA: modern preliminary readings above 54°C have also been reported during recent heat events.

Detailed heat-record guide:
Record-High Temperatures Explained.

World Record-Low Temperature

The official global station air-temperature record is:

Vostok is located on the high East Antarctic Plateau, where altitude, polar darkness, dry air, snow cover and extreme continental isolation combine to create exceptional radiational cooling.

Satellite research has identified colder temperatures on the surface of the Antarctic ice sheet. Those measurements do not replace Vostok’s station air-temperature record because they measure a different physical layer using a different method.

Detailed cold-record guide:
Record-Low Temperatures Explained.

Temperature Records by Hemisphere

Hemispheric record categories sit between global and continental rankings. They are useful because the Northern and Southern Hemispheres contain very different distributions of land, ocean and polar terrain.

Classification note:
Record archives may maintain additional eastern, western and regional domains. Always use the archive’s stated geographical definition.

Highest Temperatures Ever Recorded by Continent and Region

Continental tables can vary because WMO regions do not always match conventional political continents. Europe is a particularly important example because the broader WMO European region includes areas outside continental Europe.

Editorial note:
Use the exact archive category beside each record. “Europe,” “continental Europe,” “WMO Region VI,” “Antarctic Region” and “Antarctic mainland” are not interchangeable labels.

Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded by Continent and Region

Continental cold records are strongly influenced by altitude, distance from oceans, snow cover, polar darkness and the ability of dense cold air to collect in interior basins.

Death Valley: Earth’s Famous Heat-Record Location

Furnace Creek in Death Valley, California, is associated with the most widely recognized global air-temperature record: 56.7°C / 134°F on July 10, 1913.

Why Death Valley becomes so hot

• Below-sea-level basin: Furnace Creek lies in a deep desert depression.
• Surrounding mountains: Descending air can compress and warm.
• Clear summer skies: Strong solar radiation reaches the desert surface.
• Very dry conditions: Limited evaporation allows more energy to heat the surface and lower atmosphere.
• Hot rock and soil: Desert surfaces release intense sensible heat into the air.
• Persistent subtropical high pressure: Sinking air and weak cloud cover favor extreme heat.

Why the 1913 record remains debated

Some weather historians question whether the local conditions, observing practices and surrounding measurements fully support such an exceptional value.

Nevertheless, the record remains officially retained. The clearest wording is therefore:

Furnace Creek’s 56.7°C reading remains the officially recognized global air-temperature record, although its historical reliability continues to be debated.

Vostok Station: Earth’s Official Cold-Record Location

Vostok Station recorded −89.2°C / −128.6°F on July 21, 1983. It remains the lowest official station-measured air temperature on Earth.

Why Vostok becomes so cold

• High elevation: Vostok sits on the elevated East Antarctic ice sheet.
• Polar night: Long winter darkness permits sustained cooling.
• Extremely dry air: Limited atmospheric water vapor reduces downward infrared radiation.
• Snow and ice: The bright surface reflects solar energy and cools efficiently.
• Continental isolation: The station is far from moderating ocean influence.
• Stable atmospheric conditions: Strong inversions can isolate extremely cold air near the surface.

Antarctica Temperature Records

Antarctica requires several separate categories because the wider region, continental landmass and high plateau have very different climates.

A reported 20.75°C observation from Seymour Island in February 2020 was rejected after investigation. This case demonstrates why the exact sensor setup and its interaction with the surrounding surface matter during record evaluation.

Verification case studies:
Temperature Record Verification Explained.

Arctic Temperature Records

The Arctic Circle record category covers the region at or north of approximately 66.5°N.

The observation is remarkable because Verkhoyansk is also associated with some of the most severe inhabited winter cold on Earth.

Why Arctic regions can experience exceptional heat

• persistent upper-level ridges;
• strong warm-air transport from lower latitudes;
• long summer daylight;
• dry soils and reduced evaporative cooling;
• continental interiors far from ocean moderation;
• loss of snow cover exposing darker ground.

The Arctic record belongs here as a geographic benchmark. The atmospheric mechanisms and prolonged impacts belong in
Heat Waves Explained
and
Temperature Anomalies Explained.

Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon: Siberia’s Temperature Extremes

Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon are two of the most famous cold settlements on Earth. Both are associated with temperatures near −67.8°C / −90°F.

Why northeastern Siberia becomes so cold

• Extreme continentality: The region is far from warming ocean influence.
• Long winter nights: Surface cooling continues for extended periods.
• Persistent snow cover: Snow reflects incoming radiation and isolates ground heat.
• Valley and basin topography: Dense cold air settles into low terrain.
• Strong winter high pressure: Stable conditions can trap cold air for days or weeks.

A record temperature range

Verkhoyansk is unusual because it is associated with both extreme winter cold and the Arctic Circle heat record of 38.0°C.

This creates an enormous range between its documented winter and summer extremes, making it one of the planet’s most dramatic examples of continental climate.

Hottest and Coldest Inhabited Places on Earth

“Hottest inhabited place” and “coldest inhabited place” can refer to several different statistics.

Possible definitions include:

• highest one-time temperature recorded at an inhabited location;
• highest average annual temperature;
• highest average summer temperature;
• highest average nighttime temperature;
• lowest one-time temperature at a permanent settlement;
• lowest average winter temperature;
• coldest location with a permanent civilian population;
• coldest continuously staffed research station.

Places frequently discussed as extreme inhabited locations

• Oymyakon, Russia: famous for extraordinary winter cold and permanent settlement.
• Verkhoyansk, Russia: known for both severe winter cold and exceptional summer heat.
• Dallol region, Ethiopia: often discussed for extremely high average heat, although historical datasets and settlement status require careful wording.
• Furnace Creek, USA: location of the official global maximum air-temperature benchmark.
• Jacobabad, Pakistan: known for dangerous combinations of heat and humidity.
• Kuwait City and Persian Gulf settlements: exposed to intense summer heat and very warm nights.

National Temperature Records

A national temperature record is the highest or lowest officially accepted air temperature within a country or territory.

Famous national record examples

• United States: 56.7°C at Furnace Creek, Death Valley.
• Canada: 49.6°C at Lytton, British Columbia, during June 2021.
• United Kingdom: the first officially accepted reading above 40°C in July 2022.
• Italy: 48.8°C in Sicily, also the continental European record.
• Kuwait: 53.9°C at Mitribah.
• Pakistan: 53.7°C at Turbat.
• Australia: 50.7°C at Oodnadatta and −23.0°C at Charlotte Pass.
• Canada: −63.0°C at Snag, Yukon.
• Russia: Siberian lows associated with Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon.

Why national record lists change

• a new candidate observation is confirmed;
• a preliminary reading is revised;
• an older record is rejected;
• station metadata are re-examined;
• national boundaries or territorial categories change;
• a previously overlooked historical observation is recovered.

What Are the Hottest Countries in the World?

There is no single scientifically complete ranking of “the hottest countries” because the answer depends on the chosen metric.

Countries can be ranked by:

• highest absolute air-temperature record;
• annual mean temperature;
• average summer maximum;
• frequency of days above 40°C;
• average nighttime heat;
• heat index or wet-bulb stress;
• temperature of the hottest inhabited regions.

Countries associated with major absolute heat records

• United States;
• Tunisia;
• Kuwait;
• Pakistan;
• Iraq;
• Iran;
• Saudi Arabia;
• Australia;
• Algeria;
• Italy.

This page treats “hottest countries” as a record-geography topic. Long-duration exposure, health impacts and atmospheric mechanisms belong in
Heat Waves Explained.

What Are the Coldest Countries in the World?

“Coldest country” also depends on the metric.

Possible definitions include:

• lowest absolute air-temperature record;
• lowest annual mean temperature;
• coldest winter average;
• largest area of permafrost;
• coldest permanently inhabited settlement;
• longest period below freezing.

Countries and territories associated with major cold extremes

• Russia: Siberian continental cold and inhabited-place records.
• Canada: Snag, Yukon, and extensive Arctic territory.
• Greenland within the Kingdom of Denmark: Northern Hemisphere ice-sheet record.
• Mongolia: severe continental winters and high-elevation cold.
• Kazakhstan: large continental temperature ranges.
• Norway, Sweden and Finland: Arctic and subarctic cold records.
• United States: Alaska’s severe cold benchmarks.

Antarctica is the coldest continent and holds the global air-temperature record, but it is not a sovereign country.

For cold-wave mechanisms and impacts, see
Arctic Outbreaks and Cold Snaps Explained.

Satellite and Surface-Temperature Records

Satellite instruments can identify extremely hot desert surfaces and extremely cold ice surfaces that are not directly sampled by conventional weather stations.

Why surface and air temperatures differ

• Sunlight heats the ground directly.
• The air is heated indirectly through contact and turbulent mixing.
• Dry dark surfaces may become much hotter than the air.
• Snow and ice surfaces may cool below the air immediately above them.
• Satellite sensors observe emitted radiation from a surface footprint rather than air inside a thermometer shelter.

How to label satellite records correctly

Use precise phrases such as:

• highest satellite-observed land-surface temperature;
• lowest Antarctic ice-surface temperature estimate;
• hottest ground-surface measurement;
• coldest remotely sensed surface temperature.

Do not describe these automatically as the highest or lowest official air temperatures.

World Temperature-Record Maps

Maps make the geographic distribution of temperature records easier to understand, but the accompanying tables should remain the reference layer for exact values, locations and dates.

How to read the maps

• Each marker represents a record location, not an entire uniformly hot or cold region.
• Continental categories may follow WMO regional definitions.
• Historic and modern records may have different levels of supporting metadata.
• Surface-temperature records are not included in station air-temperature maps.
• Dates and values should be updated when official archives change.

Disputed and Rejected World Temperature Records

The most extreme temperature observations naturally attract the greatest scrutiny.

Famous disputed or revised cases include:

• the long-running debate surrounding the 1913 Death Valley record;
• historic African heat observations measured before modern automated networks;
• the former El Azizia global heat record, which was rejected after investigation;
• candidate Antarctic warm records rejected because the sensor setup was unsuitable for the claimed category;
• modern values that remain preliminary while instrument testing is completed.

Why a global record may be challenged

• poor instrument shielding;
• sensor calibration problems;
• artificial surface heating;
• incomplete station metadata;
• incorrect observation time;
• inconsistency with nearby stations;
• lack of meteorological support;
• confusion between air and surface temperature.

How to Read Temperature-Record Status