The Earth's Most Extreme Frost Hollows---Holes Where You'll Freeze to Death (climate, hot)
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Hello everyone, I've long been fascinated by the concept of Frost Hollows/Frost Holes/Frost Basins---low lying areas that have MUCH lower extreme winter minimum temperatures than the surrounding area, thanks to their enclosed or sem-enclosed topography (cold air flows in easier than it flows out).
I've compiled a decent list of some of the most extreme ones on our planet and explained what causes them here in this video: A Hole Where You'll Freeze to Death--Geography of Extreme Microclimates
This video explains the most notorious frost hole (the Gruenloch, in Austria), Peter Sinks in Utah, the San Luis valley in Colorado, the Central Valley of California, and areas of Wyoming, Nevada, and Idaho.
And since showing this video to Reddit, a user alerted me to another great example: The Canaan Valley in West Virginia, which recorded freezing temperatures in JUNE!
I definitely neglected to explore more of Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa---can anyone chime in on these? I'm sure I've still neglected to find some in North America too.
I'd be very interested to hear of more examples, even less drastic ones.
Here's an Aussie one at 30.6*S, and a long way north of the Australian Alps.
Woolbrook has the typical cool winter, mild to warm summer climate of the Northern Tablelands. Although due to the towns location in a deep valley, it records some of the coldest temperatures in the region, and sometimes even in the whole of Australia during the winter months. Woolbrook is fairly sunny, recording 118 clear days on a yearly basis. On 19 June 1994, a temperature of −14.5 °C (5.9 °F) was recorded in the town, the coldest temperature observed anywhere in Australia outside of the Australian Alps.
greysrigging, thanks, that is an awesome example. I definitely didn’t have one for Australia and that one is insane. 5.9°F and well north of Sydney…I certainly didn’t expect a temperature like that at only ~30°S.
On August 20, 2021 there was a frost in Međi Do with daily low of -1.7c (in 2016 also was frost in August).
Fascinating about this place is altitude of only 483 m and latitude 44*40.' It's probably most southern and place on the lowest elevation in entire Europe which had frost in all tree summer months.
Slovenian professor of geography doctor Matej Ogrin measured -40c in Valoviti do in January 2011.
More details in the last few sentences on this link (https://www.cdm.me/drustvo/slovenack...i-u-crnu-goru/), translation: Professor from university of Ljubljana says that geomorphological heterogeneity also caused topoclimatic heterogeneity, so they found out in recent years, for example, that minimum temperatures in some localities of Durmitor and Sinjajevina (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinjajevina)often fall bellow -30c. "The lowest temperature we measured in locality Valoviti do, on Durmitor, was -40c on January 4, 2011, and on Sinjajevina on December 13, 2012 it was -38.5c" say Ogrin.
A cold spot in South East Queensland @ 28.65*S
And another in Far North Queensland @ 17.38*S
This one is in the otherwise brutally hot Kimberley District of Western Australia @ 16.41*S
Slovenian professor of geography doctor Matej Ogrin measured -40c in Valoviti do in January 2011.
More details in the last few sentences on this link (https://www.cdm.me/drustvo/slovenack...i-u-crnu-goru/), translation: Professor from university of Ljubljana says that geomorphological heterogeneity also caused topoclimatic heterogeneity, so they found out in recent years, for example, that minimum temperatures in some localities of Durmitor and Sinjajevina (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinjajevina)often fall bellow -30c. "The lowest temperature we measured in locality Valoviti do, on Durmitor, was -40c on January 4, 2011, and on Sinjajevina on December 13, 2012 it was -38.5c" say Ogrin.
Wow guys, excellent. Thanks for the research, these are great examples. Glad to see people have taken note of these phenomena
Except for the frost hollows i am interested for plateaus as well. In the western Balkans exist several plateaus where climate is different than in surrounding areas, and which have potential for very low winter temperatures and frost in the summer months.
Most researched plateau in former Yugoslavia from the meteorological point of view is Pešter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pešter), meteo station in Karajukića Bunari village on Pešter (altitude 1165 m) exist several decades https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karajukića_Bunari
Officially the lowest temperature in Karajukića Bunari was -39.8c in January 2006 measured by Hydrometeorological Service of Serbia, but some locals claim they measured -41c. Karajukića Bunari had frost in all three summer months. In July 1993 Karajukića Bunari had frost with -1.5c, and it's lowest temperature there in July since 1990 (meteorological measurements started earlier, but on the site of HSS is available data since 1990).
Another plateau in the western Balkans with potential for very low temperatures is Igman in Bosnia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igman
In locality Veliko Polje (altitude about 1200 m) on Igman in January 1963 is measured -43c, and this is officially lowest temperature ever recorded in entire Balkans.
In January 1942 happened "Igman March" at a temperature of -32c, when many Yugoslav Partisans received hypothermic injuries and several died https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igman#World_War_II
Place similar as Karajukića Bunari (Pešter) and Veliko Polje (Igman) is village Kosanica (altitude 1320 m) in northern Montenegro https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosanica,_Montenegro
Meteorological measurements in Kosanica started several months ago in February 2021, and already broke some lowest records for Montenegro.
On April 9 this year with -19.1c Kosanica set a new lowest ever record for April in Montenegro https://abload.de/img/cgminimalci09.04.2021dmkje.jpg
On May 9 in Kosanica daily low was -7.4c, and it was officially lowest temperature in May in Montenegro in 21st century.
On June 3 Kosanica had frost with -3.2c, and it was new lowest record for June in Montenegro in 21st century https://abload.de/img/cgtxn-jun2021.71j2i.jpg
On February 16 in Kosanica is measured -29.5c, quite lower temperature than in other stations in Montenegro https://abload.de/img/cgapsolutniminimumi-1r3juo.jpg
According to measurement in previous 7 months Kosanica is colder than Karajukića Bunari, which is to be expected because of 155 m higher elevation. Kosanica most likely sometimes in the past had temperatures bellow -40c. Unfortunately there was no temperature measurement until February 2021 as i said.
Last edited by Nino Bellov; 09-20-2021 at 10:37 PM..
Slovenian professor of geography doctor Matej Ogrin measured -40c in Valoviti do in January 2011.
More details in the last few sentences on this link (https://www.cdm.me/drustvo/slovenack...i-u-crnu-goru/), translation: Professor from university of Ljubljana says that geomorphological heterogeneity also caused topoclimatic heterogeneity, so they found out in recent years, for example, that minimum temperatures in some localities of Durmitor and Sinjajevina (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinjajevina)often fall bellow -30c. "The lowest temperature we measured in locality Valoviti do, on Durmitor, was -40c on January 4, 2011, and on Sinjajevina on December 13, 2012 it was -38.5c" say Ogrin.
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