Kazakhstan has opened meteorological autumn with a slew of cold records during the first two days of September.

On Sept 1, a host of daily records fell, including:

Karaganda dropped to -1C (30.2F), breaking +0.1C (32.2F) from 1976; Zharyk hit -1.2C (29.8F), beating -0.7C (30.7F) from 2004; Kyzylzhar plunged to -3C (26.6F), demolishing +2.2C (36F) from 1976; and Aktogay fell to -4.6C (23.7F), surpassing -2C (28.4F) from 1980.

The cold continued Sept 2:

Kishkenekol reached +2.3C (36.1F), breaking +2.6C (36.7F) from 2024; Ruzayevka fell to -2.4C (27.7F), beating -0.5C (31.1F) from 1986; Esil dropped to -2.7C (27.1F), surpassing -0.7C (30.7F) from 1997; and Karaganda returned with -0.5C (31.1F), breaking its +1.2C (34.2F) record from 1949.

Kazhydromet had forecast a distinctly autumnal opening to September across northern, central and eastern Kazakhstan.

It played out.

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September opened with record cold in Kazakhstan, while unusually early frost also reached parts of Russia and Alaska.

Karaganda, Kazakhstan dropped to -1C (30.2F) on Sept 1, breaking the station’s previous daily record of +0.1C (32.2F) set in 1976. The station record dates back to the 1930s.

The wider region also endured an unusually sharp start to meteorological autumn, with frost reported across northern and eastern Karaganda Region.

Cold extended west into Russia, where Sept 1 lows reached -1.3C (29.7F) at Kočevo, -1C (30.2F) at Kudymkar and -0.5C (31.1F) at Gayny in Perm Krai following the myriad of records the day prior.

While across the Bering Strait and to the southeast, Anchorage, Alaska fell to 36F (2.2C) on Sept 1, matching the record from 1962, according to an NWS report.

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Meteorological spring has arrived in Chile with fresh powder still piling up across the Andes—and one resort recording its snowiest season in roughly half a century.

Portillo reported another 15 cm (5.9 in) in the latest 24 hours and 114 cm (44.9 in) over seven days, lifting its 2026 seasonal snowfall to 933 cm (30.6 ft). The resort says this is its biggest snowfall season in about 50 years.

The deep winter extends across Chile.

Valle Nevado has accumulated 534 cm (17.5 ft) this season, while La Parva reached 393 cm (12.9 ft) after another 5 cm (2 in) in 24 hours and 23 cm (9 in) over the past week.

Farther south, Nevados de Chillán—pictured—reported 15 cm (5.9 in) of fresh snow and a season total of 276 cm (9.1 ft).

And at Corralco, 105 cm (41 in) fell from Aug 27–30 alone, pushing upper-mountain snow depth to 464 cm (15.2 ft).

Russian Cold Sets New August Low

A sharp late-August cold outbreak across Russia has broken multiple records.

Magnitogorsk, in Chelyabinsk Oblast, fell to -0.7C (30.7F) on Aug 31, according to SYNOP station data compiled by meteorological archive Pogoda i Klimat.

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A sharp late-August cold outbreak across Russia has broken a string of long-standing station temperature records, with new lows stretching from the Arctic northwest through the Urals, western Siberia and the Volga region.

At Kandalaksha, Murmansk Oblast, -2C (28.4F) was posted on Aug 28, breaking the previous daily record of -1.6C (29.1F) set in 1989.

Sarapul, Udmurtia dropped to 2.6C (36.7F), beating 3C (37.4F) from 1937.

The cold intensified Aug 29.

Salekhard fell to -0.7C (30.7F), breaking its previous Aug 29 record of -0.6C (30.9F) from 1985, according to Roshydromet.

Tara, in Omsk Oblast, reached -0.3C (31.5F), beating 0.6C (33.1F) from 1996.

Nearby Omsk dropped to 1.6C (34.9F), breaking its 1939 record of 2.4C (36.3F).

Odesskoye fell to 1.8C (35.2F), below the previous 2.2C (36F) mark from 1951.

Ulyanovsk recorded 3.4C (38.1F), breaking the 3.9C (39F) from 1954.

On Aug 30, Saratov fell to 6.5C (43.7F), beating its previous daily record of 7.1C (44.8F) set in 1966.

Kandalaksha logged back-to-back record lows, plunging to -1.8C (28.8F) versus the previous -0.4C (31.3F) from 1970.

The outbreak was broader still.

By early Aug 31, Roshydromet was reporting frost down to -5C (23F) in Orenburg Oblast, -6C (21.2F) in Chelyabinsk Oblast and -7C (19.4F) in Magadan Oblast, with additional freezes across Arkhangelsk, Komi and Yakutia.

Summer is ending abruptly across a large swath of Russia.

Winter Returns To Canadian Rockies

Summer delivered another taste of winter across the Canadian Rockies Sunday, with fresh snow coating resorts in Alberta and British Columbia.

Snow settled at Banff Sunshine Village (photos below), Lake Louise and Kicking Horse, where several centimeters accumulated.

Snow was also reported along Highway 40 near Kananaskis.

Temperatures dropped below freezing at elevation, with Environment Canada recording -0.7C (30.7F) at Nakiska Ridgetop Sunday morning and a wind chill of -7C (19F).

For Sunshine, this was already the second snowfall of August, following another summer dusting on Aug 6.

It comes after an exceptional 2025–26 snow season that allowed Sunshine to reopen its lifts for summer skiing through July 5.

Not unprecedented for the high Rockies—but a decidedly wintry end to August.

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The late-August cooldown is not confined to the Iberian Peninsula. Well-below-average temperatures have also spread across eastern Europe and western Russia, bringing an early taste of autumn—and a 49-year cold record in Ukraine.

Following thermometers running as much as 15C below average across Portugal and Spain, a broad cool pool has also developed to the east. Across the likes of Belarus, Ukraine and into European Russia, temperatures have well-below late-August norms.

Minsk averaged more than 3C below normal throughout the week, with minimums falling to 7C (44.6F). In neighboring Ukraine, Chernihiv dropped to 6C (42.8F) on Aug. 25, breaking the city’s daily record low of 6.6C (43.9F) set in 1977.

The chill extends deep into Russia, with the Volga region running 5C below the climatic norm. Farther north, the transition is sharper still. Russian authorities are warning of frosts to -3C (26.6F) across Murmansk and Karelia on Aug 28–29.

Despite the catastrophizing headlines this summer, parts of Europe are enduring early tastes of autumn.

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A sharp late-summer chill is sweeping Spain and Portugal, with temperatures running as much as 15C below normal.

The cold is peaking today, Thursday, Aug 27, with 2-meter anomaly maps showing the majority of the Peninsula below average.

Much of Portugal and Spain is forecast 5C to 10C colder than normal, with localized pockets approaching 15C below.

The chill extends from Galicia and northern Portugal through Madrid and deep into southern Spain, with a pronounced Atlantic flow driving the cool air inland.

This is a substantial late-August departure, though one unlikely to receive any mainstream attention.

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Summer 2026 in the High Arctic is on course to finish as the coldest in the DMI temperature index dating back to 1958.

Through Aug 25, the High Arctic averaged -0.88C (30.4F) for the meteorological summer, with daily means at or below freezing on 67 of 86 days. Even the summer’s warmest daily mean reached just +0.20C (32.4F).

June averaged roughly -2.2C (28F)—the coldest June in the series.

Then, from July 1 through Aug 10, 36 of 41 days set daily record-low means, including 20 consecutive records from July 2–21 and another 12 straight from July 23–Aug 3. July 26 averaged -0.347C (31.38F), the coldest July daily mean on record.

The cold held through the second half of August, leaving 2026 firmly on course for the coldest High-Arctic summer in the 69-year series.

Exceptional Arctic warmth generates headlines around the world. An exceptional cold summer fails to register.

‘Dumb & Dumber’ Climate Panic

Europe’s drought is real, and summer crops are taking a hit. What does not follow is the leap from regional stress to global catastrophe.

The EU’s latest crop bulletin says prolonged heat and water deficits have cut forecasts for summer crops across western and central Europe below the five-year average—in the very worst cases by 14%.

However, winter cereals—the bulk of which are already harvested—are running at the five-year average.

More importantly, though, food markets are global.

FAO currently forecasts 2.983 billion tonnes of cereals in 2026—the second-largest harvest on record. World cereal stocks are projected at 957.8 million tonnes, with the stock-to-use ratio holding at a comfortable 32%.

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A significant winter storm is bearing down on New Zealand’s South Island, with heavy snow threatening the likes of inland Otago and Canterbury from Wednesday into Friday.

MetService has issued a ‘Heavy Snow Watch’ for the Canterbury High Country south of the Rangitata River and parts of Otago, with heavy snow expected above 800 m (2,600 ft) and moderate accumulations down to 400 m (1,300 ft).

NZTA is warning of major travel disruption.

More than 30 cm (12 in) could accumulate on sections of State Highways 8 and 80 through the Mackenzie Basin and South Canterbury, with around 20 cm (8 in) possible on SH73 above 700 m (2,300 ft).

Road closures and restrictions are likely if the forecast verifies, with officials warning that vehicles could become trapped. MetService warns the snow could also damage trees and powerlines, and place livestock under stress.

The system will stall over the South Island, drawing in colder air as precipitation intensifies.

The southerly push comes as deep Antarctic cold persists farther south: Amundsen–Scott fell to -73C (-99.4F) again on Aug 25.

Andes Brace For Another 6+ Feet

The central Andes have barely dug out from weeks of exceptional snowfall, and another multi-day blizzard is arriving—with more than 6 ft forecast and the main Chile–Argentina crossing closed again.

Ski Portillo has received more than 23 ft (7 m) of snow this season. During the July onslaught, some 183 inches (465 cm) fell in just seven days, while another storm last week dumped more than 3 ft (90 cm) across Portillo, Valle Nevado, La Parva and Argentina’s Las Leñas.

Another Aug 25–31 storm cycle is now ramping up, with forecasts calling for more than 80 inches (203 cm) settling at Nevados de Chillán and upward of 60 inches (152 cm) at Portillo.

The snowpack is so deep that Portillo has extended its season into October for the first time in decades.

Cold is also gripping lower elevations.

Argentina endured another widespread hard frost on Monday, with Viedma falling to -3.6C (25.5F), Perito Moreno -3.2C (26.2F), Tandil -3C (26.6F), Bahía Blanca -1.2C (29.8F), Esquel -1C (30.2F), and both El Calafate and Mar del Plata -0.4C (31.3F).

After a slow start to winter, the southern Andes have flipped decisively—the snows keep coming.

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The main crossing between Chile and Argentina is closing again today as fresh snow bears down on the Andes—less than a week after it emerged from its longest shutdown in history.

The Los Libertadores/Cristo Redentor crossing spent 34 consecutive days closed, from July 14 to August 18, as repeated snowstorms, strong winds and ice buried the high mountain route. The previous record closure was 26 days, set in 2023.

At the height of the shutdown, crews on the Chilean side were clearing snow walls and blocks of more than 6 m (20 ft) high, while thousands of trucks accumulated on either side of the border.

The crossing finally reopened to freight on Aug 18.

Cars and buses were allowed through from Aug 22.

It didn’t last.

Authorities have ordered another preventive closure today, Aug 24, as a new spell of snow and unstable weather moves into the Andes. Barriers at Guardia Vieja and Uspallata begin closing at 1 PM Chilean time, with the international tunnel shutting at 3 PM.

Officials warn that wintry conditions could persist through Aug 31, with further heavy snow expected along the cordillera.

Antarctic Winter Still Refuses To Break

The persistence of the cold this Antarctic winter is truly impressive.

At Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station, the temperature fell to -72.3C (-98.1F) on Aug 23—another plunge toward -100F with little more than a week of meteorological winter remaining.

More telling is the average.

Through Aug 23, the South Pole was averaging -62.3C (-80.1F), some 2.6C below its August norm of -59.7C (-75.5F).

That follows a cold June and an exceptionally cold July.

On the current pace, the June–August mean should finish around -62.2C (-80F)—roughly 2.8C below normal.

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The deep Antarctic cold has returned to the South Pole, with Amundsen–Scott dropping to -72.9C (-99.2F) on Aug 20.

The day’s mean came in at -70.6C (-95.1F)—a hefty 11.1C below normal.

Cold conditions are persisting into Aug 21.

The latest South Pole observation had temperatures below -70C (-94F), with easterly winds continuing across the plateau.

The renewed plunge follows repeated bouts of severe cold through the austral winter.

After an unusually cold June and July, August 2026 is now on course to make it three colder-than-normal months in succession — this month is averaging roughly -61.5C (-78.7F) through Aug 20, versus an August norm of -59.7C (-75.5F).

Winter was harsh, and now it isn’t letting go.

Arctic Sea-Ice Decline Stalled 19 Years Ago

Arctic summer sea ice stopped falling around 2007, with 2026 on course to extend that pause.

The NSIDC itself has acknowledged the shift. Its analysis of September sea-ice extent found the 2007–2021 trend was so slight that it was not statistically significant—a “near-zero trend.”

And the pause has since held for another 5 years, through 2026.

After starting this year’s melt season relatively low, ice loss slowed sharply through late July and August.

The latest plot (red line) shows 2026 sitting comfortably among the record:

September Arctic sea ice extent has shown no downward trend for almost two decades.

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Western Europe’s “climate crisis” is collapsing. Atlantic air is seen sweeping east, with France’s national temperature forecast to drop below normal by Friday. The circulation has flipped. The “emergency” is over.

Daytime highs will fall below 19C (66F) from Brittany toward the Benelux. Even the Mediterranean coast sharply retreats.

For much of the summer, persistent high pressure repeatedly blocked Atlantic systems, allowing dry soils, strong sunshine and warm southerly flows to reinforce one another—again and again. That configuration has now broken down, and cooler maritime air can now push east while lower pressure and a more southerly storm track are being allowed back into western Europe.

The atmospheric circulation changed. CO2 did not.

Britain made the turn first.

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The scale of this winter’s snow across the Andes is now visible from space.

NASA satellite imagery from Aug 18 shows the Cordillera coated white for hundreds of miles through Chile and Argentina, from around San Juan and Mendoza south toward Patagonia.

The image coincided with the reopening of the Cristo Redentor/Los Libertadores crossing between Argentina and Chile after a record 34 consecutive days closed by repeated heavy snow, ice and strong winds.

The shutdown was the longest on record, surpassing the previous 26-day closure in 2023.

Thousands of trucks had backed up on the Argentine side, with freight now finally moving again through corridors carved between deep snowbanks. Passenger vehicles and buses remained restricted as operations restarted.

Snow has extended well beyond the highest peaks this winter, with widespread cover hitting Mendoza and La Pampa.

Hot Headlines, Normal Snow Cover

Despite a summer saturated with heat headlines, Northern Hemisphere snow cover is sitting unremarkably normal.

The latest NOAA/NESDIS satellite data show snow-cover extent running almost exactly along the tracker’s average, a little above if anything:

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New Zealand is back in the freezer, with fresh snow warnings, widespread frost and another closure of the Desert Road.

The latest polar southerly sent temperatures plunging Monday: Aoraki/Mount Cook fell to -8C (17.6F), Tekapo to -5C (23F) and Queenstown to -4C (24.8F); and snow shut the Desert Road (SH1) between Rangipo and Waiouru.

Looking ahead, MetService issued another Desert Road snowfall warning Tuesday, running from 9am through 3am Wednesday.

The chill extends well beyond the mountains. MetService says persistent southerlies are drawing cold air directly from the Southern Ocean, with widespread overnight frosts and possible black ice across parts of the country.

Westerlies should bring a temporary moderation Friday, but the polar boundary is forecast to return to the South Island over the weekend.

This all comes barely ten days after New Zealand’s exceptional early-August freeze, when Taumarunui dropped to -7.2C (19F)—its coldest temperature on record—and Rotorua hit a new all-time low of -5.6C (21.9F).

Winter, evidently, still has plenty left in the tank.

High Arctic Cold Holds Through August

The extraordinary summer chill north of 80N has persisted deep into August.

An audit of the Danish Meteorological Institute’s High Arctic temperature series finds that 36 of the 48 days from July 1 through August 17 set record-low daily means for their respective calendar dates—75% of the period.

One striking reading came on July 26, when the mean fell to -0.347C—the coldest July value in the DMI record:

This all follows a record-smashing June:

The run of daily records has eased since August 9, but the broader freezing summer trend remains. 2026 is on course to become the High Arctic’s coldest summer on record (data back to 1958), potentially by a substantial margin.

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Western Europe is on course to close summer chilly.

The latest GFS AI run has the Aug 20-30 period broadly colder across much of Europe, particularly the west, with the deepest anomalies over Iberia, France, the UK and Scandinavia.

Much of this summer’s heat was driven by persistent blocking highs, which suppressed Atlantic systems, promoted sinking dry air and sunshine, and repeatedly pulled hot air north from North Africa and Iberia.

Now the pattern is reversing.

The ridge is retreating and a trough is digging into western and northern Europe, opening the door to cooler Atlantic and polar air.

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Fresh temperature records have swept northern Russia, with snow and further sub-zero lows now hitting parts of Yakutia.

In Reboly, Karelia, the temperature fell to 3C (37.4F) on Aug 13, breaking the date’s previous record low of 4.1C (39.4F) set in 1965. According to the Pogoda i Klimat climate monitor, the station has operated since 1901.

Thousands of miles east, Shelagontsy, Yakutia dropped to -4.8C (23.4F), breaking its Aug 13 record of -4.6C (23.7F) from 1953. The remote station, WMO 24329, has been operating since 1940.

Yakutia’s state news agency YSIA reports wet snow in the mountains and overnight frosts down to -5C (23F) across parts of the northwest and northeast on Aug 14. Even coastal highs are forecast to struggle to just 5C (41F).

The latest chill follows repeated cold incursions into Yakutia this month.

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A powerful winter storm has swept South Africa, burying highland roads, stranding motorists and driving daytime temperatures to record lows.

The system arrived back on Aug 9 as a strong cold front before an upper trough deepened into a cut-off low, locking cold air and moisture over the interior. By Aug 10-11, the Eastern Cape was taking the brunt, with SAWS issuing a Level 6 snow warning—on its 1-to-10 scale—with accumulations of 35 cm (14 inches) forecast across parts of the highlands.

Heavy snow indeed hit Barkly East, Rhodes, Mount Fletcher, Matatiele and the Lesotho border region, closing Penhoek, Barkly, Boesmanshoek, Lootsberg and Wapadsberg passes. Motorists became trapped near Barkly Pass and required rescue.

Snow also spread into KwaZulu-Natal, affecting Underberg, Kokstad, Nottingham Road, Impendle and the southern Drakensberg.

Even Gauteng saw snow, including in Johannesburg itself, as well as around Germiston and Bedfordview. Before this week’s flurries, Johannesburg had previously only reported snow in 1956, 1962, 1964, 1981, 2007, 2012 and 2023.

Africa First reports: “Snow is now becoming an annual sight in the country, even reaching places that had never experienced snowfall and the very cold weather before.”

Eskom said roughly 40,000 customers lost power across KZN.

The cold was equally impressive.

At Johannesburg International Airport, a maximum of just 5.2C (41.4F) was logged on Aug 11, smashing the previous Aug 11 low-max of 11.7C (53.1F), set in 1957. Witbank also managed only 8.2C (46.8F), undercutting its previous Aug 11 benchmark of 13.7C (56.7F) from 2010. Both records remain preliminary.

The main snowstorm has now eased, but cold and icy conditions linger across parts of eastern South Africa.

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A sharp polar outbreak has swept southern Australia, delivering near-decade cold in the west and fresh heavy snow across the Alps.

Perth dropped to 2.5C (36.5F) Tuesday morning—its coldest August reading in nine years.

Bunbury fell to 0.8C (33.4F), its coldest August morning in a decade; Pearce reached 1.5C (34.7F), its lowest for the month in 11 years; while York dipped to -1C (30.2F).

The cold then pushed east, bringing another round of alpine snow.

Mt Hotham picked up 13 cm (5.1 inches) in 24 hours and 31 cm (12.2 inches) over the past week.

Perisher has also received 31 cm in seven days, while Thredbo added further snow Tuesday night as freezing conditions persisted across the higher peaks.

At Spencers Creek, there was no measurable snow on July 1—only the second such occurrence in the entire record. But now, by Aug 12, depth has rebounded to 96 cm (37.8 inches), already exceeding some full-season peaks, including 1982 and 2006.

Australia’s alpine winter has staged an impressive turnaround.

Patagonia’s Deep Freeze Persists

The severe cold gripping southern South America has refused to let up, with Patagonia plunging deep below freezing again.

At least 15 Argentine cities were below freezing between 8 and 9am Tuesday, spanning Santa Cruz, Chubut, Mendoza, Río Negro, La Pampa and Buenos Aires.

The SMN maintained cold-extreme alerts across eight provinces.

Across the Andes, Chile’s Aysén Region remained locked in an even deeper freeze.

After Balmaceda crashed to -17.5C (0.5F) on Aug 10—one of its coldest August temperatures in the station’s history—Aug 11 then plunged Coyhaique to -10.3C (13.5F)—just shy of the station’s all-time low set on Aug 7, 1975 (books back to 1952).

The cold substantially exceeded DMC expectations, which called for -7C to -3C (19.4F to 26.6F).

The freeze was still entrenched into early Aug 12, with DMC’s live network showing readings well below freezing.

Southern Chile and Argentina have been repeatedly hammered by snow and severe freezes in recent weeks.

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The High Arctic has endured an extraordinary summer cold run, with DMI data showing record-low daily means on 36 of the 41 days from July 1 through August 10.

A full audit of DMI’s >80°N archive—comparing each 2026 date against the same calendar date in every available prior year back to 1958—leaves just five non-records: July 1, July 22, August 4, August 8 and August 10.

That means 88% of the period set a daily cold record.

The first streak ran for 20 consecutive days, from July 2 through July 21.

Another 12 straight records followed from July 23 through August 3.

July 26 was particularly notable, averaging -0.347C — the coldest July daily mean anywhere in the full DMI record.

August 9 came in at -0.590C — the lowest daily summer mean across the entire series (Jul 1 through Aug 10).

Also, all 41 days ran below the DMI’s 1958–2002 average (for the respective date).

Southern South America Freezes

Yet another wintry blast is sweeping Patagonia this week, bringing renewed heavy snow to Argentina and severe freezes across southern Chile following the biting conditions of the past few weeks.

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Arctic cold has swept across Russia’s Far East and Yakutia, breaking at least 17 daily cold records over the weekend.

Eight records fell Saturday.

Talon dropped to 2.7C (36.9F), beating its Aug 8 record of 3C (37.4F) from 1971.

In Amur Oblast, Chernyaevo fell to 6.2C (43.2F), breaking the 6.9C (44.4F) from 1947, while Norsk reached 3.3C (37.9F), besting its 3.9C (39F) benchmark, also from 1947.

Blagoveshchensk registered 9.8C (49.6F), beating a record that had stood since 1902 (books here back to 1881).

Arkhara fell to 6.2C (43.2F), edging out 6.3C (43.3F) from 1964.

Yekaterino-Nikolskoye reached 9.4C (48.9F), beating 10.3C (50.5F) from 1947.

In Primorsky Krai, Pogranichny dropped to 10.1C (50.2F), breaking 10.8C (51.4F) from 1992, while Sviyagino hit 9C (48.2F), below its previous 9.5C (49.1F), also from 1992.

Sunday brought another nine records.

The standout came at Verkhoyansk, where temperatures plunged to -8.2C (17.2F). That demolished the previous Aug 9 record of -3.7C (25.3F), set in 1972, by an extraordinary 4.5C (8.1F). Verkhoyansk’s daily record series stretches back to 1885.

Khabarovsk fell to 7.1C (44.8F), smashing its previous Aug 9 record of 10C (50F) from 1998 by 2.9C (5.2F).

Vladivostok dropped to 12.9C (55.2F), beating the 13.4C (56.1F) from 1964 (records extend back to 1884).

Records also fell at Lermontovka, where 8.5C (47.3F) beat 8.7C (47.7F) from 1964; Dalnerechensk, where 8.6C (47.5F) beat 9.4C (48.9F) from 1964; and Timiryazevsky, where 8.4C (47.1F) bested 10.4C (50.7F) from 1992.

Yekaterino-Nikolskoye, Pogranichny and Sviyagino all broke daily cold records for a second consecutive morning.

Local reports described the outbreak as severe for the dog days of summer, with snow and freezing rain reported around Magadan, while early frosts in Amur Oblast reportedly damaged crops.

The records are particularly notable for the depth of the station histories, all of which are long. Blagoveshchensk’s daily series reaches back to 1881, Verkhoyansk to 1885, Vladivostok to 1884, Pogranichny to 1902 and Timiryazevsky to 1911.

The cold continued into Monday.

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July 2026 was exceptionally cold across Antarctica, with Vostok and the South Pole posting monthly averages well below normal and approaching long-standing records.

At Vostok, Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute has confirmed a July mean of -71.6C (-96.9F). That is 6.2C (11.2F) below the 2005–2024 average, making for the coldest July of the past decade.

Across Vostok’s record, dating back to 1958, only four Julys have been colder: 1983 at -73.8C (-100.8F), 1997 at -72.9C (-99.2F), 1979 at -72.3C (-98.1F) and 2016 at -71.8C (-97.2F).

At the South Pole, July averaged -64.3C (-83.7F), which is 4.1C (7.4F) below normal. This matches the South Pole’s former July record set in 1965. That benchmark stood for 32 years before July 1997 averaged -66C; the current record, -67.3C, was set in 2004.

At Concordia/Dome C, temperatures plunged to -84.1C (-119.4F) on July 18—the lowest air temperature recorded on Earth since 2012 and just 0.6C shy of Concordia’s all-time record of -84.7C set in 2010.

The nearby Dome C II AWS, operating since 1995, was also running around 5-6C below its July normal late in the month and close to its coldest July values on record. Its complete July mean has yet to be finalized.

New Zealand Freeze Smashes All-Time Records

The Antarctic outbreak that brought rare low-level snow to New Zealand earlier this week has intensified, breaking all-time temperature records across the North Island.

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