Scientists Measured the Coldest Natural Surface on Earth

For decades, Antarctica has been recognized as the coldest place on Earth, but new satellite analyses have revealed surface temperatures even lower than those recorded at any ground-based weather station. In research published in Geophysical Research Letters, scientists analyzing thermal infrared data from NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites identified localized regions on the East Antarctic Plateau where surface temperatures dropped below -98 degrees Celsius under clear winter conditions. These findings surpassed the long-standing record of minus 89.2 degrees Celsius measured at Vostok Station in 1983, which had previously stood as the coldest directly recorded air temperature on Earth.

Unlike traditional meteorological readings taken 2 meters above the ground, these new measurements focused on surface skin temperature, the temperature of the snow itself. While surface temperatures can be lower than air temperatures, the magnitude of this extreme cooling surprised researchers and prompted a detailed analysis of atmospheric and topographic conditions.

How Extreme Cooling Happens

The East Antarctic Plateau sits at elevations exceeding 3,000 meters, where thin, dry air already promotes heat loss. During the austral winter, the region experiences continuous darkness for months, eliminating incoming solar radiation. Under clear skies, the snow surface radiates infrared energy directly into space, allowing rapid cooling through radiative heat loss.

Researchers discovered that the coldest temperatures occurred not on exposed ridges, but inside shallow depressions in the ice sheet. These subtle dips in the landscape allow cold, dense air to drain downward and accumulate, creating small “cold pools” where temperatures can drop dramatically. Ted Scambos, lead author of the study and senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, explained that these depressions function like natural basins where “cold air settles and continues to cool under clear sky conditions.” Satellite data collected over several winters showed that temperatures in these pockets repeatedly reached between minus 90 and minus 98 degrees Celsius, with some brief readings possibly dipping slightly lower. The research team cross-validated satellite observations using multiple sensors to ensure accuracy.

Implications for Climate Science

Understanding extreme surface cooling is important for refining climate models, particularly those that simulate polar heat exchange and atmospheric circulation. The Antarctic Plateau plays a critical role in regulating global heat balance because it radiates significant energy back into space during winter. These newly identified cold zones improve estimates of the amount of energy the continent emits and of how surface processes interact with atmospheric dynamics.

Although these extreme temperatures occur in remote and sparsely populated areas, their existence demonstrates how subtle geographic features can amplify climate extremes. Scientists continue to monitor these sites to assess whether changes in cloud cover, wind patterns, or atmospheric composition alter the frequency or intensity of such record-breaking cooling events in a warming world.