The U.S., particularly the Midwest, is feeling the effects of a historic cold front, which is being described as the chilliest air to hit the country in a generation.
Experts predict that Chicago and Minneapolis could see lows of minus 50 and minus 60 degrees (minus 45.6 and minus 51 Celsius), respectively, on Wednesday. Wisconsin’s Gov. Tony Evers has already declared a state of emergency.
But in some cities around the world, these frigid temperatures are nothing out of the ordinary during winter. Here are seven of the coldest cities on the planet, where residents have learned to adapt to freezing conditions:
Dudinka, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Dudinka, a city located in Russia’s Siberian territory above the Arctic Circle, has an average daily minimum temperature of minus 28 degrees (minus 33.3 Celsius) in January, according to AccuWeather.
Oymyakon, Sakha Republic, Russia
Oymyakon, Russia is widely believed to be the coldest inhabited place on the planet. The town is home to 500 people, who withstand an average winter temperature of minus 58 degrees (minus 50 Celsius).
The Washington Post reported last year that most of Oymyakon’s bathrooms are outhouses because the ground is too frozen for pipes. And at fish markets, sellers don’t need freezers — the fish are frozen just from being outside.
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is home to 1 million people out of the country’s population of 2.8 million people. The city’s temperature spans from summer highs of 102 degrees to winter lows of minus 44 degrees (39 to minus 42 Celsius).
Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Located in northeastern China, Harbin is often referred to as the “ice city,” according to AccuWeather. Low temperatures in January typically fall between minus 8 to minus 12 degrees (minus 22 to minus 24 Celsius). Each year, the city hosts a Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which features illuminated ice castles and giant ice slides.
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada
The capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories has lows of minus 26 degrees (minus 32 Celsius) in January. Yellowknife is home to around 20,000 people and boasts a prime view of the aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights.
International Falls, Minnesota, U.S.
Known as “The Icebox of the Nation,” International Falls has an average low temperature of around minus 7 degrees (minus 22 Celsius) in January. The city, which is connected to Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada by an international toll bridge, has been called the coldest city in the contiguous U.S.
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Winnipeg, the capital of Canada’s Manitoba province, has typical lows of minus 5 to minus 9 degrees (minus 21 to minus 23 Celsius) in January, but has seen much more drastic temperatures. In the winter of 1966, the city allegedly experienced temperatures of minus 49 degrees (minus 45 Celsius).
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7 of the Coldest Cities in the World originally appeared on usnews.com
