You Think It’s Cold in GJ? Here’s 5 of the Coldest Places On Earth

It is no secret that the current weather pattern in Grand Junction is well below normal. While we have been "enjoying" daytime highs in the 20s, the normal high this time of year is around 35 degrees.  The normal low is about 14 degrees but we have been seeing those overnight temperatures dipping below zero. It could be worse. A lot worse.

I haven't talked to anyone yet who is overjoyed about the cold weather, and I doubt that there is anyone more unhappy about it than me. While the grass may be greener on the other side of the fence, it's also true that it's always colder - somewhere. So to give us all a little perspective, and to maybe help us to not  feel so distraught over the current cold snap, here's a look at five of the coldest places on earth.

1) Verkhoyansk in Russia…..located 1500 miles south of the North Pole. In January the average temperature is minus 50 degrees F, and the mean monthly temperatures stay below freezing from October through April. The all-time low was recorded in 1892 – minus 90 degrees F.

2) If you like long cold winters, International Falls, Minnesota is the place for you. The average temperature in January is 2.7 degrees F. In fact, the thermometer hits 0 or below on more than 60 nights a year- that’s almost one out of five days of sub-zero temperatures.

3) While International Falls may have colder winters, Fraser, Colorado is cold all year long with an annual mean temperature of just 32.5 degrees F. Even in the summer, the average low dips down to 29 degrees in June. You will find Fraser near the popular ski area of Winter Park with an elevation of 8.574 feet.

4) There are many places with colder temperatures than Hell,  but it is interesting to note that Hell is in fact a rather cold place – Hell, Norway, that is. Hell freezes over for about a third of the year from December through March. Even in the summer Hell is cool. At summer’s peak in July, average day time highs only reach 66 degrees F.

5) We certainly could not have a cold discussion without mentioning Alaska. Barrow is a city built on permafrost, up to 1300 feet deep. From December through March the average temperature is 15 degrees below zero. And when someone tells you to go where the sun doesn’t shine, this is the place. The sun sets at the end of November and doesn’t reappear until the end of January.