Severe cold arrives early: Nearly -80°C in Antarctica

While hints of early summer are knocking at our door, winter has just begun in the Antarctic in the southern hemisphere.

Astonishing temperatures of nearly -80°C were measured at the Vostok research station on 29th April - 79.3°C to be exact. Such extreme cold is rarely reached this early in the year.

At -89.2°C, the station holds the coldest record on Earth, measured on 21st July 1983. Values below -80°C in April are also extremely rare at the Earth's cold pole and have only been recorded three times in the last 60 years.