Summer is hot. That’s the whole point. It’s the season of pool parties, beach trips, backyard barbecues — of T-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops. We crank up the AC in summer, turn on the fans, sip iced tea or cold lager or chilled rosé.
But not every place on earth gets hot in summer. Some stay pleasingly cool, never becoming sweltering. Others descend into sweater weather, and might even have you reaching for your parka.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed average monthly temperatures for thousands of weather stations around the world from NOAA. We identified the 51 places on Earth where it gets the coldest in the summer months. We’re talking about summer in the traditional sense of June, July, and August (or December, January, and February in the Southern Hemisphere).
As you might expect, Canada, the Russian Federation, and Scandinavia feature prominently on the list. Only two U.S. areas make the cut, though — one in Alaska, the other (perhaps unexpectedly) in Oregon.
We’ve left continental Antarctica out of our calculations simply because it would sweep the board if we left it in. While temperatures above 50º F have occasionally been recorded on the coast there during the South Pole summer (December through February), inland temperatures in the same season generally top out at -22º Fahrenheit — not exactly beach or iced tea weather.
Click here to see the 51 coldest places on Earth in the dead of summer.
Click here to see our detailed findings and full methodology.
Correction: Due to a transcription error, Crater Lake, Oregon, #41 on our list, was incorrectly named Harbor Lake, Oregon in a previous version of this article. This error has been corrected.
Source: Google Maps 2018
51. Stakksey, Iceland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 47.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 41.7° F summer of 1882
> Latitude, Longitude: 65.1, -22.7
> Elevation: 26 feet
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Source: Jerzy Strzelecki / Wikimedia Commons
50. Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 47.3° F in December
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 43.3° F summer of 1940
> Latitude, Longitude: -54.8, -68.3
> Elevation: 46 feet
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Source: 2686832 / Getty Images
49. Churchill, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 33.9° F summer of 1902
> Latitude, Longitude: 58.7, -94.1
> Elevation: 95 feet
Source: Axel Drainville / Flickr
48. Cartwright, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 41.9° F summer of 1943
> Latitude, Longitude: 53.7, -57.0
> Elevation: 46 feet
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Source: genlock1 / Getty Images
47. Dombås, Norway
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 38.3° F summer of 1923
> Latitude, Longitude: 62.1, 9.3
> Elevation: 3,196 feet
Source: Shishaev Kirill / Wikimedia Commons
46. Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.2° F in August
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 43.3° F summer of 1937
> Latitude, Longitude: 72.0, 102.5
> Elevation: 108 feet
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Source: mcvld / trip-suggest.com
45. Ayan, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.0° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 36.1° F summer of 1960
> Latitude, Longitude: 56.5, 138.2
> Elevation: 26 feet
Source: Шабанов / Wikimedia Commons
44. Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 46.0° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 35.1° F summer of 1919
> Latitude, Longitude: 64.8, 177.6
> Elevation: 200 feet
Source: Ansgar Walk / Wikimedia Commons
43. Baker Lake, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.7° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 32.7° F summer of 1950
> Latitude, Longitude: 64.3, -96.1
> Elevation: 59 feet
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Source: Ian Schofield / Wikimedia Commons
42. Inukjuak, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.7° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 31.1° F summer of 1922
> Latitude, Longitude: 58.5, -78.1
> Elevation: 20 feet
Source: Dendron / iStock
41. Crater Lake, Oregon, United States of America
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.6° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 38.1° F summer of 1953
> Latitude, Longitude: 42.9, -122.1
> Elevation: 50 feet
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Source: Dmitry Medvedev / Wikimedia Commons
40. Kunashir Island, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 39.8° F summer of 1983
> Latitude, Longitude: 44.0, 145.9
> Elevation: 161 feet
Source: franek2 / Wikimedia Commons
39. French Southern and Antarctic Lands, Territory of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.3° F in January
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 42.1° F summer of 1956
> Latitude, Longitude: -49.4, 70.3
> Elevation: 98 feet
Source: China Photos / Getty Images
38. Darlag, Golog, Qinghai, China
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 45.1° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 43.9° F summer of 1963
> Latitude, Longitude: 33.8, 99.7
> Elevation: 13,018 feet
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Source: Celine Bisson / Getty Images
37. Kuujjuaq, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.8° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 38.1° F summer of 1956
> Latitude, Longitude: 58.1, -68.4
> Elevation: 118 feet
Source: NASA ASTER volcano archive jpl / Wikimedia Commons
36. Transvaal Cove, South Africa
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.6° F in December
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 40.0° F summer of 1956
> Latitude, Longitude: -46.9, 37.9
> Elevation: 72 feet
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Source: http://wikivisually.com/wiki/Alakurtti_(air_base)
35. Murmansk, Murmansk Oblast, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 40.6° F summer of 1982
> Latitude, Longitude: 69.0, 33.0
> Elevation: 167 feet
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Source: VargaJones / Getty Images
34. MacQuarie Island, Australia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.3° F in December
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 39.9° F summer of 1963
> Latitude, Longitude: -54.5, 158.9
> Elevation: 26 feet
Source: patrick_nouhailler / Flickr
33. Schwende District, Switzerland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.2° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 30.2° F summer of 1884
> Latitude, Longitude: 47.3, 9.4
> Elevation: 8,202 feet
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Source: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q292450
32. Île de la Possession, Territory of the french southern and antarctic lands
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 44.1° F in December
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 39.7° F summer of 1976
> Latitude, Longitude: -46.4, 51.9
> Elevation: 469 feet
Source: ezioman / Wikimedia Commons
31. Naryan-Mar, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 43.9° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 37.0° F summer of 1969
> Latitude, Longitude: 67.6, 53.0
> Elevation: 39 feet
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Source: Alexander Litsis / Wikimedia Commons
30. Nikolskoye, Kamchatka Krai, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 43.0° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 38.7° F summer of 1903
> Latitude, Longitude: 55.2, 166.0
> Elevation: 59 feet
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Source: Leslie Philipp / Wikimedia Commons
29. Coral Harbour, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 43.0° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 27.9° F summer of 1972
> Latitude, Longitude: 64.2, -83.4
> Elevation: 210 feet
Source: emicristea / Getty Images
28. Rasnov, Romania
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 42.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 33.9° F summer of 1949
> Latitude, Longitude: 45.5, 25.4
> Elevation: 8,232 feet
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Source: Janus_Orlov / Getty Images
27. Vardo, Norway
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 42.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 37.2° F summer of 1902
> Latitude, Longitude: 70.4, 31.1
> Elevation: 49 feet
Source: DurkTalsma / Getty Images
26. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, United Kingdom
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 41.7° F in January
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 35.8° F summer of 1950
> Latitude, Longitude: -54.3, -36.5
> Elevation: 10 feet
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Source: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q45833
25. Golmud, Haixi, Qinghai, China
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 41.5° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 39.2° F summer of 1983
> Latitude, Longitude: 34.2, 92.4
> Elevation: 14,879 feet
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Source: Hannes Grobe / Wikimedia Commons
24. Prince Christian Sound, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 41.2° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 37.9° F summer of 1970
> Latitude, Longitude: 60.0, -43.2
> Elevation: 243 feet
Source: http://wikivisually.com/wiki/Kitikmeot_Region,_Nunavut
23. Kitikmeot Region, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 40.8° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 28.0° F summer of 1978
> Latitude, Longitude: 69.1, -105.1
> Elevation: 89 feet
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Source: RyersonClark / Getty Images
22. Nunavut, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 40.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 31.8° F summer of 1972
> Latitude, Longitude: 63.8, -68.6
> Elevation: 69 feet
Source: 158704586@N06 / Flickr
21. Svalbard, Norway
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 40.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 36.1° F summer of 1987
> Latitude, Longitude: 78.3, 15.5
> Elevation: 95 feet
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Source: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tasiilaq
20. Tasiilaq, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 40.1° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 36.7° F summer of 2012
> Latitude, Longitude: 65.6, -37.6
> Elevation: 171 feet
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Source: Vadim_Nefedov / Getty Images
19. Nuuk, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 39.7° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 33.0° F summer of 1972
> Latitude, Longitude: 64.2, -51.8
> Elevation: 230 feet
Source: Chikachev I.A. / Wikimedia Commons
18. Allaikhovsky District, Sakha Republic, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 38.7° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 34.5° F summer of 1996
> Latitude, Longitude: 70.6, 147.9
> Elevation: 200 feet
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Source: ah_fotobox / Getty Images
17. Ehrwald, Germany
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 38.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 27.2° F summer of 1956
> Latitude, Longitude: 47.4, 11.0
> Elevation: 9,718 feet
Source: Joel Carillet / Getty Images
16. Heiligenblut, Austria
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 38.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 24.3° F summer of 1923
> Latitude, Longitude: 47.1, 12.9
> Elevation: 10,200 feet
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Source: Algkalv / Wikimedia Commons
15. Aasiaat, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 37.6° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 33.4° F summer of 1978
> Latitude, Longitude: 68.7, -52.8
> Elevation: 135 feet
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Source: Maria Andreevna / Wikimedia Commons
14. Yuzhny Island, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 36.9° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 33.2° F summer of 1917
> Latitude, Longitude: 72.4, 52.7
> Elevation: 49 feet
Source: Tatiana Bashinskaya / Wikimedia Commons
13. Zapolyarny District, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 36.7° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 31.7° F summer of 1969
> Latitude, Longitude: 68.7, 43.3
> Elevation: 161 feet
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Source: Janno / Wikimedia Commons
12. Bjørnøya (Bear Island), Norway
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 36.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 32.5° F summer of 1982
> Latitude, Longitude: 74.5, 19.0
> Elevation: 52 feet
Source: Scott McMurren / Flickr
11. Kaktovic, United States of America
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 36.1° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 32.5° F summer of 2011
> Latitude, Longitude: 70.1, -143.6
> Elevation: 49 feet
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Source: Ansgar Walk / Wikimedia Commons
10. Hall Beach, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 36.1° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 25.2° F summer of 1972
> Latitude, Longitude: 68.8, -81.3
> Elevation: 26 feet
Source: ceedub13 / Wikimedia Commons
9. Eureka, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 34.5° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 29.1° F summer of 1974
> Latitude, Longitude: 80.0, -85.9
> Elevation: 33 feet
Source: Jerzy Strzelecki / Wikimedia Commons
8. Northeast Greenland National Park, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 34.2° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 29.3° F summer of 2006
> Latitude, Longitude: 76.8, -18.7
> Elevation: 39 feet
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Source: Russian Academy of Sciences
7. Dikson, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 33.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 28.1° F summer of 1926
> Latitude, Longitude: 73.5, 80.4
> Elevation: 154 feet
Source: Explora_2005 / Getty Images
6. North Greenland, Greenland
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 33.4° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 27.9° F summer of 2018
> Latitude, Longitude: 81.6, -16.7
> Elevation: 112 feet
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Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons
5. Lapdev Sea, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 31.5° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 28.0° F summer of 1941
> Latitude, Longitude: 76.0, 137.9
> Elevation: 26 feet
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Source: https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Resolute
4. Resolute, Canada
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 31.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 24.8° F summer of 1974
> Latitude, Longitude: 74.7, -95.0
> Elevation: 220 feet
Source: Shishaev Kirill / Wikimedia Commons
3. Taymyrsky Dolgano-Nenetsky District, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 29.3° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 24.8° F summer of 1933
> Latitude, Longitude: 77.7, 104.3
> Elevation: 49 feet
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Source: Vadim Zhivotovskiy / Wikimedia Commons
2. Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 28.9° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 28.2° F summer of 2014
> Latitude, Longitude: 79.5, 77.0
> Elevation: 36 feet
Source: Николай Гернет / Wikimedia Commons
1. Heiss Island, Russia
> Avg. temp. during coldest summer month: 28.8° F in June
> Coldest avg. summer temp on record: 27.5° F summer of 2014
> Latitude, Longitude: 80.6, 58.1
> Elevation: 66 feet
Detailed Findings & Methodology:
Why is summer hot? It’s not, as many people think, because the earth is closer to the sun in the summer months. In fact, it isn’t. It’s the farthest from the sun in July and the closest in January.
Summers are hot not because of the sun’s proximity but because of the angle with which the sun rays hit us. In summer, because of the earth’s axial tilt as it rotates, the rays shoot down at a steep angle, concentrating the amount of energy that hits any given spot. In winter, the angle is shallow, meaning the rays are more diffuse.
When you point a flashlight straight ahead, it throws a strong beam in a fairly tight circle; if you hold it on a slant, as when you’re using it to light your way down a nighttime path, it covers more area but not as brightly. Same idea.
Another factor in making summers hot is that, again due to the nature of the earth’s rotation, there are more hours of sunlight, allowing the earth and anything on it (like buildings and deserts) to absorb and retain more heat.
There are a number of reasons why some places are colder than others in what are otherwise the warmer months. To begin with, it’s a matter of the sun’s angle again. The sun hits the equator directly — like that flashlight pointed straight. In places like Northern Russia and southern Argentina, the rays are more spread out and thus weaker.
Altitude can be a factor, too. The higher you go, the thinner the atmosphere (that’s why it’s harder to breathe in Aspen than in Nantucket), so there’s less matter (fewer molecules), in it. The amount of heat in the atmosphere is directly related to the amount of matter it contains, so less matter, less heat. Remember, too, that when you’re up on a mountain, you’re also closer to the coldness of space.
To identify the coldest place on Earth in the dead of summer, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the average monthly temperature for the coldest summer month (June-August for areas in the Northern Hemisphere, December-February for areas in the Southern Hemisphere) from a universe of 7,280 weather stations around the world for the year 2017.
Weather station data is from The Global Historical Climatology Network-Monthly (GHCN-M) version 3, a program of the North Atlantic Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Geographic locations are listed as the closest area to the coordinates given for the weather stations whose data is used. All other data was also obtained from the GHCN-M.
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