-62.4 Degrees: New Record Set in Yakutia

The Tongulakh meteorological station in Yakutia's Mountain District has recorded a temperature of -62.4 degrees today. This information was provided to RIA Novosti by Tatiana Marshalik, deputy head of Yakutia’s Hydro-Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring Department.

"A new absolute minimum temperature record has been established at the Tongulakh station in the Mountain District. Today, a temperature of minus 62.4 degrees was observed, surpassing the previous absolute minimum of minus 61.8 degrees, which had not been exceeded since 1993. Earlier this year, a temperature of minus 62 degrees was recorded at the Zhilyinda Oleneksky ulus weather station in Yakutia. This is the lowest temperature recorded in the republic this year," Marshalik noted.

The meteorologist explained that a record is set when a temperature is recorded that is lower than the absolute minimum or higher than the absolute maximum recorded at a meteorological station. Marshalik emphasized that sometimes the media reports on "records" set in various locations in Yakutia, claiming temperatures of minus 75-80 degrees have been recorded.

“In February, it will mark 90 years since the absolute minimum was recorded in the town of Oymyakon, where in 1933 a temperature of -67.7 degrees was registered. Over the years, this number has not been exceeded anywhere in our region. It is erroneous to chase sensations based on low-quality household thermometer readings,” the agency's interlocutor stated.

Previously, it was reported that anomalous frosts in Yakutia would last until January 18, with temperatures dropping below minus 60 degrees in 19 districts on Monday. According to data from the Yakutia Hydro-Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring Department, 12 meteorological stations recorded temperatures below minus 50 degrees.