World Weather Records
1. AIR TEMPERATURE
1.1 Absolute maximum air temperature by continent
1.2 Absolute air temperature minima by continent
1.3 Other temperature records
The most low temperature in the atmosphere (-143 ° С) was recorded at an altitude of 80 - 96 km during the night observation of clouds over Kronogard, Sweden, from July 27 to August 7, 1963;
Lowest average annual temperature registered in 1958 in Antarctica, near the South Pole (-57.8 ° С);
The highest average annual air temperature (for the period: October 1960 - November 1966) is +34.4 ° C in Dallol, Ethiopia;
The lowest mean monthly air temperature (-75.3 ° С) was recorded at Vostok station, Antarctica in August 1987;
The highest average annual temperature amplitude is observed in Verkhoyansk, Russia and is 61.9 ° С, the absolute amplitude in this place is 107.1 ° С;
The most even climate is observed in the town of Garapan on the island of Saipan (Mariana Islands), Pacific Ocean. For 9 years from 1927 to 1935. the lowest temperature here was +19.6 ° С on January 30, 1934, and the highest - on September 9, 1931 (+31.4 ° С), which gives a drop of only 11.8 ° С. According to other sources, the Fernando de Noronha Islands off the coast of Brazil hold the record for the minimum temperature amplitude. There from 1911 to 1966. the lowest temperature was recorded on November 17, 1913 (+18.6 ° С), and the highest - on March 2, 1965 (+32 ° С), which is a temperature difference of only 13.4 ° С;
The most dramatic warming:
In 2 minutes at 27.2 ° C. In Spearfish, South Dakota, on January 22, 1943 at 7:30 AM the temperature was -20 ° C, and in just 2 minutes the temperature rose to +7.2 ° C! So sharp warming was caused by a sudden warm wind- Chinook;
For 12 hours at 46.1 ° C. In the town of Granville, North Dakota (USA) on February 21, 1918, during the day, the air temperature rose from -36.1 ° C to + 10 ° C;
The most intense cold snaps:
In 27 minutes at 32.2 ° C. At Spearfish, South Dakota, on January 22, 1943, at 9 a.m. the air temperature was 12.2 ° C, and at 9:27 it dropped to -20.0 ° C;
During the day at 55.6 ° C. In the town of Browning, Montana (USA) during January 23-24, 1916, the temperature dropped from +6.7 ° C to -48.9 ° C;
At Marble Bar, Western Australia, temperatures exceeded 100 ° F (+37.8 ° C) for 160 days from October 31, 1923 to April 7, 1924;
The highest dew point (+ 35 ° С) was recorded at 3 pm on July 8, 2003 in the town of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The air temperature at that time was +42.2 ° C. With a wind of 1 m / s, the effective temperature reached +115 ° С!
1.4 Water temperature
On August 8, 1920, the Titat recorded a temperature of 100 ° F (+37.8 ° C) in the Red Sea. The water temperature in the Persian Gulf in July-August is usually around +31 ° C, and on August 5, 1924, it reached a value of +35.6 ° C (according to measurements from the "Frankenfels" ship);
The hottest river is a tributary of the Amu Darya, Tairsu. Once on this river, the temperature of the near-surface water layer was +45.2 ° C. On the Tiligul river in the Odessa region, which flows into the Tiligulsky estuary, a temperature of 39.4 ° C was recorded near the village of Novo-Ukrainka. The hottest lake is the Caspian Sea. On Biryuchaya Spit, the water temperature is +37.2 ° C.
2. Precipitation
2.1 Highest average annual rainfall by continent
2.2 Least average annual precipitation by continent
2.3 Maximum amount precipitation for different periods of time
Mount Waialeale in Hawaii has an average of 330 to 360 rainy days a year;
In Arica (Chile) for 14 years - from October 1903 to January 1918 not a single rain was recorded;
The driest uninhabited place on Earth is located in Antarctica - Dry Valleys. As calculations show, in this place, precipitation has not occurred at all over the past 2 million years.
2.4 Grad
A large hail fell in Coffeyville, Kansas, USA on September 3, 1970. The hailstones in diameter reached 14 cm and weighed 750 g each. It was calculated that the hailstones crashed into the ground at a speed of about 47 m / s;
Officially, the world's heaviest hailstone fell in the Gopalganj area, Bangladesh on April 14, 1986. Its weight was 1.02 kg;
On April 30, 1888, the Indian regions of Moradabad and Beheri experienced the deadliest hail attack in all human history. Then 246 people died;
In Europe, the heaviest hailstone is considered to have fallen during a thunderstorm in Strasbourg, France on August 11, 1958, weighing 971 grams;
A hailstone with a maximum diameter (20 cm) was discovered in Vivian, South Dakota, USA on July 23, 2010;
There is evidence that on May 30, 1879 in Kansas, USA, during the passage of a tornado, hailstones up to 38 cm in diameter were observed. During their fall to the ground, holes were formed, measuring 43 x 51 cm;
According to eyewitnesses, hailstones weighing 7 kg were observed in April 1981 in Guangdong province (China). As a result of this hail attack, 5 people. about 10,500 buildings were killed and destroyed;
On May 11, 1894, in the town of Bovina, Mississippi, USA, a hailstone was discovered, inside of which was ... a turtle, measuring 15 x 20 cm;
In the city of Sheki, Azerbaijan, in 1850, the most large hail: individual hailstones weighed about 10 kg. This event was recorded in the journal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, published in Tbilisi;
In western Kenya, in the Kericho region (where extensive tea plantations are located), an average of 132 hail days a year;
In 1965, hail fell in the Kislovodsk region, covering the surface of the earth in some places with a layer of 75 centimeters;
July 6, 1958 in the village of Achikulak Stavropol Territory hailstones, weighing up to 2 kilograms 200 grams, fell out. The hail damaged houses, trees, 90 lambs were killed in the field;
On August 9, 1843, a hail of incredible strength and size fell on eastern England (from Oxford to Norfolk). Ice blocks up to 25 cm in diameter were recorded, and the layer of hail on the ground in some places reached 1.5 meters;
In 1961, a 3 kg hail killed an elephant in northern India;
In October 1985, in the state of Sergipe (Brazil), 20 people were killed by hailstones, and more than 4,000 were left homeless. In some places, the thickness of the hail layer exceeded 1.5 meters.
2.5 Snow
On the slopes of Mount Rainier in Washington state, an average of 16.6 m of snow falls annually. And in one year from February 19, 1971 to February 18, 1972 in the Paradise region (altitude 1646 m above sea level), 31.11 m of snow fell, which is an absolute record of altitude snow cover ;
The record thickness of the snow cover - 11.46 m was recorded in March 1911 in Tamarak, pcs. California, USA;
On February 14, 1927, 11.8 meters of snow was measured on Mount Ibuki in Japan (Honshu Island)! ;
In just 19 hours on April 5-6, 1959, 1.7 m of snow fell at the Bessans station in the French Alps;
The heaviest one-day snowfall was reported in Silver Lake, PA. Colorado, April 14-15, 1921, when 1.93 meters of snow fell per day;
For 2 days (December 29-30), 1955, 3.1 meters of snow fell in the area of Mile Camp 47 (Alaska);
The largest snowflake was recorded during a snowfall in the town of Fort Keogh, pc. Montana (USA) January 28, 1887. Its diameter was 38 cm, and its thickness reached 20 cm;
3. THUNDERSTORM
Top 5 most thunderstorm places on Earth
The small village of Kifuka in DR Congo (Africa) is the place with the highest thunderstorm activity in the world. Every year, there are 158 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes per 1 km 2 of the territory on average;
On average, about 2000 thunderstorms thunder on Earth every second and about 100 lightning flashes every second; per day this figure is about 8.6 million flashes, and during the year it reaches 3.14 10 9 lightning;
The most powerful lightning is considered, recorded by instruments on July 31, 1947 at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. The current strength has reached 345,000 A;
The longest lightning strike occurred on October 13, 2001, between Dallas and Fort Worth (Texas). Its length was 193 km (120 mi);
According to unofficial data, during observations from satellites of a severe thunderstorm in the area Japanese islands, the devices recorded a lightning flash with a power of 10 13 watts. Such superpowerful discharges are called "super-lightning";
The deadliest of all time was a lightning strike on June 26, 1807 in the town of Kirchberg, Luxembourg. On that day, a huge explosion occurred due to lightning striking a small gunpowder factory, as a result of which 300 people died;
4. WIND
4.1 Tropical cyclones
The greatest distance - 13,280 km was covered during the existence of Typhoon "John" in 1994 in the Pacific Ocean. This typhoon also holds the world record for the duration of existence - 31 days (from August 10 to September 10);
The largest horizontal pressure gradient was recorded in the tropical cyclone Tracy (near Darwin, Australia) on December 24, 1974 and amounted to 5.5 hPa / 1 km. Also, a 5 hPa / 1 km gradient was observed in Hurricane Inez in North Atlantic September 28, 1966;
Typhoon Type in the northwest is considered the largest. The Pacific... On October 12, 1979, a storm wind with a speed of more than 17 m / s was observed within a radius of 1110 km from the center;
The smallest tropical cyclone is considered to be tropical storm "Marco" on October 7, 2008 in Gulf of Mexico... The zone of stormy winds (more than 17 m / s) spread only 16 km from the center. Thus, it is 69 times less than Typhoon!
The highest surge was observed during the passage of the cyclone "Mahina" off the coast of Australia (Queensland) in March 1899. Its height was 13 meters;
The largest "eye of the storm" - 90 km in diameter was observed at the tropical cyclone "Kerry" (Coral Sea, February 21, 1979), and the smallest - 6.7 km - was recorded at the cyclone "Tracy" on December 24, 1974;
The fastest intensification was observed near Typhoon Forest in September 1983 in the northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean. Then, within 24 hours, the pressure in the center of the typhoon dropped by 100 hPa from 976 to 876 hPa, i.e. at a rate of 4.2 hPa / hour;
The highest wind speed near the ground was observed in the "Olivia" cyclone on April 10, 1996 on the island of Barrow, Australia. Then, for 3 seconds, the wind blew at a speed of 113.2 m / s (407 km / h);
According to unofficial data, the sustained maximum wind speed for 1 minute in the super typhoon "Nancy" on September 12, 1961 was 345 km / h (96 m / s);
The deadliest was tropical cyclone Bhola, which hit Bangladesh on November 12, 1970. According to various estimates, he claimed the lives of 300 to 500 thousand people;
The warmest "eye of the storm" was observed near typhoon "Nora" (October 1973) in the west of the Pacific Ocean. The air temperature at the level of 700 hPa (altitude of about 3 km) reached 30 ° С;
The most expensive hurricane was Katrina, which hit the United States in August 2005 at the stage of a Category 3 hurricane. The damage from it amounted to $ 108 billion;
Typhoon "Nancy" (West Pacific) for 5.5 days from 9 to 14 September 1961 was continuously in the stage of the maximum 5th category in accordance with the Saffir-Simpson scale;
On December 26, 2001, tropical storm "Vamei" (South China Sea) formed just 1.4 ° N. from the equator.
List of the most intense tropical cyclones in different regions Of the earth
4.2 Tornadoes (Tornado)
The maximum officially recorded wind speed in a tornado (about 135 m / s) was remotely measured using a mobile Doppler radar on May 3, 1999, near Oklahoma City at an altitude of 32 meters above the earth's surface. This value is the world record for surface wind speed;
The highest water tornado, information about which is reliable, was observed on May 16, 1898 near Eden, pcs. New South Wales, Australia. With the help of the theodolite, its height was determined - 1528 m;
The widest tornado in the world was an EF5 tornado that passed near the town of El Reno, Oklahoma (USA) on May 31, 2013. Its width reached 4180 meters;
The largest number tornadoes per month in the United States - 758 were recorded in April 2011;
The largest number of tornadoes per year in the United States (1819) was recorded in 2004;
The most deadly tornado was that hit the cities of Saturia and Manikgank Sadar, Bangladesh on April 26, 1989. It took the lives of 1,300 people and injured more than 12,000;
A record number of tornadoes per day - 148 swept through April 3-4, 1974 across the southern and midwestern states of the United States;
The most expensive was the tornado that struck Joplin, Missouri on May 22, 2011. The total damage is estimated at $ 2.8 billion;
The highest mountain tornado was registered on July 7, 2004 in national park in California (USA). The height of the terrain where it touched the surface is 3658 m;
The highest travel speed (117 km / h) was recorded for the Tri-State Tornado on March 18, 1925;
4.3 Other records downwind
The strongest gust of wind in the entire history of observations (without the influence of a tornado or tropical cyclone) occurred on April 12, 1934 on Mount Washington (height 1917 meters) in the state of New Hampshire. On that day, the instruments recorded a wind speed of 103 m / s;
The windiest place in the world is considered to be Port Martin (Antarctica), where the average annual wind speed is 17 m / s. The highest average annual wind speed in this place was recorded in 1995 and amounted to 22.4 m / s. Here, the highest average monthly wind speed was noted - 29.1 m / s (in March 1951) and the average daily - 48.3 m / s (March 21 - 22, 1951).
5. OTHER WEATHER RECORDS
5.1 Atmospheric pressure
The highest atmospheric pressure in the earth's surface reduced to sea level was recorded on December 19, 2001 in Tosontsengel (Mongolia) and amounted to 1084.8 hPa. The height of this point is 1725 m above sea level. On the plain the most high pressure was registered in Agat (Russia) on December 31, 1968 - 1083.3 hPa;
The lowest pressure on Earth was recorded in Typhoon Type in the Northwest Pacific Ocean on October 12, 1979 - 870 hPa. In extratropical cyclone the lowest pressure (914 hPa) recorded in the storm "Braer" in the north Atlantic on January 10, 1993;
The sharpest drop in pressure was observed during the passage of a tornado, category EF4, near Manchester, South Dakota (USA) on June 24, 2003. A pressure jump of 100 hPa was measured using a special setup for about 40 seconds (from 950 to 850 hPa). The value of 850 hPa can be considered the lowest pressure on the Earth's surface during the time of meteorological observations.
5.2 Sunshine
The sunniest place is considered to be the town of Yuma, Arizona (USA), where the average annual sunshine is 4019 hours out of 4456 possible;
In St. Petersburg, pcs. Florida, USA, from February 9, 1967 to March 17, 1969 there were 768 absolute sunny days contract
5.3 Ice
The strongest ice storm swept from January 4 to 10, 1998 over the southeastern regions of Canada and the northeastern United States. Then 44 people died, nearly 1000 towers of high-voltage power lines were knocked down. The thickness of ice deposits in some places reached 12 cm! The total damage is estimated at $ 5-7 billion.
5.4 Rainbow
In the town of Sheffield (UK), the most stable rainbow was observed: on March 14, 1994, the rainbow was visible for 6 hours: from 09:00 am to 15:00 pm.
5.5 Fog
The most foggy place in the world is considered to be the area of the Grand Banks in the North Atlantic. Another record foggy location is Argentia (Newfoundland, Canada) - 206 foggy days a year.
5.6 Dampness
The Prince Edward Islands in the southern Indian Ocean are the wettest and most cloudy places on earth. The average annual sunshine here is only 800-1300 hours, and it rains about 320 days a year.
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Some of the rainiest places on the planet are in remote areas, where a person's foot never sets, but there are many settlements that suffer from a large amount of precipitation in the form of rain every year. Most of these cities have a tropical climate. While some areas may only rain during certain seasons, others experience rainfall throughout the year. Here are eight of the rainiest cities around the world and as places to avoid when planning your summer vacation.
Quibdo, Colombia
Quibdo is the largest city in the Choco department, despite its population of just over 100,000. A staggering amount of precipitation is observed here - about 8 130 mm per year! Quibdo is located near the mountains in western Colombia, where there is no dry season at all. It rains almost every day (304 days a year on average). However, in cold season(in December) drops out more precipitation drizzle, while more thunderstorms are observed in the warm season (April).
The smallest amount of precipitation is recorded in March, but it still rains on average 15 days a month. Oddly enough, despite the large amounts of rainfall, Quibdo is often in short supply. useful water due to the lack of reliable water storage systems.
Monrovia, Liberia
In northwestern Africa lies the capital of Liberia, Monrovia, with a population of more than one million, who are flooded with rain every year. It receives about 5,140 mm of precipitation annually! This figure roughly matches the number of rainy days. The rainy season in Monrovia runs from May to October, but June and July are the wettest. During this time, many roads become impassable due to holes filled with mud. The period from December to February is still very humid, although there are occasional showers.
Hilo, Hawaii
Despite the beautiful images of swaying palms, beaches and sunlight that can be seen on the Internet and in advertising brochures, the Hawaiian Islands suffer from huge amount showers. Part of the island of Maui, where it is national park, mountains, sees about 3,000 mm of precipitation per year, while in other territories of the islands, all 4,000 mm are observed. Hilo can be called a winning city in this regard, as it rains here for 272 days throughout the year. 
Mangalore, India
With a population of just over 400,000 people, Mangalore is far from the most populous city in India, but at the same time it has the largest amount of rainfall, with about 3,800 mm of precipitation per year. It is a city located by the Arabian Sea, on the western coast of India, where the rivers Netravati and Gurupura meet. And although the amount of precipitation here is significant, this is by no means the most rainy place in India. India's northeastern state of Meghalaya is home to two of the rainiest villages in the world, with 4,600 mm of rainfall annually. 
Buenaventura, Colombia
Buenaventura - one of the western cities of Colombia - is located more than 100 km south of its rainy "sister", Quibdo. The population of the city is over 300,000 inhabitants. The city is located by the Pacific Ocean and receives about 3000 mm of precipitation every year. The period from January to April is the driest, while the rainiest months (September and October) the city receives more rainfall than the entire United States in a whole year. 
Cayenne, French Guiana
Cayenne - the capital of the only French-speaking state in South America - is located north of the equator and has a tropical coastal climate... The city is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. It is famous not only for its cayenne pepper and rich history but also as one of the rainiest cities in South America - with 3,800 mm of rainfall every year and 212 rainy days. Despite the fact that residents observe rain here all year round, there are two seasons of rainfall: from December to January and from April to mid-July.
Belem, Brazil
It is estimated that precipitation in the form of rain falls here in the range of 2,800 mm per year. And although Belém does not suffer from rainfall like other countries South America, it rains here on average 251 days a year. It is a port city with a population of about 143,000. Tucked away in the northernmost part, just below the equator, Belém is closer to a rainy city like Cayenne than to Rio de Janeiro.
The heavy rainfall season in Belém is typically between December and May, while February and March are the two rainiest months of the year.
Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
Located north of the equator with tropical climate Malaysia is one of the rainiest countries on the planet. Kuala Terengganu, a city in the northwest with a population of about 285,000, suffers from 2,000 mm of rainfall from year to year. Modern city Kuala Terengganu experienced extreme flooding in December 2014. Most of precipitation is observed here from November to January, although the rest of the time the city remains hot and humid.
You now know the cities with the most rainfall, so plan your vacation wisely!
Many people think that London is the rainiest place in the world. This is not true. In fact, England is not the rainiest country even in Europe. For comparison, the annual rainfall in Moscow is 691 mm, in London - 599 mm. Below is a list of the ten rainiest places on Earth, but several regions claim the title itself, due to the differing data of different meteorological services.
Kikori, Papua New Guinea
Kikori - a settlement located in the delta of the river of the same name on the island New Guinea... The region is notable for its diverse ecosystem, dense forests and a complex network of rivers. Average annual quantity atmospheric precipitation here is about 5840 mm.
Andagoya, Colombia
Andagoya is a settlement in the west of Colombia. Known for its equatorial and humid climate, with the same temperatures for almost the entire year. The average annual rainfall here is 6 817 mm... It usually rains at night.
Lake Henderson, British Columbia
Henderson Lake is a 14.94 sq. km. It is located in the southwest of Canada, 3,700 km west of the capital Ottawa, on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia. On average, in the vicinity of the lake, it falls annually 6 903 mm precipitation.
Bellenden Ker Range, Australia
Bellenden Ker Range, also known as the Wooroonooran Range, is a coastal mountain range located in the far north of Queensland, 2,000 km from the Australian capital of Canberra. It stretches for 65 km and is the wettest region on the mainland. The annual rainfall here exceeds 8 312 mm.
Quibdo, Colombia
Quibdo is a city located on the Atrato River in western Colombia. Known as the Rainiest Place in Latin America and one of the wettest regions on our planet. On average, it drops out here 8 989 mm precipitation per year.
Debunja, Cameroon
Debunja is a village in the department of Fako, Cameroon. It is located on the southwestern slope of the active volcano Cameroon, in southwest region republics. This village with average annual rainfall 10 299 mm located on the fifth line of our rating.
Waialeale, USA
Waialeale is a volcano located in the heart of Kauai, Hawaii. On its slopes, on average, 11 684 mm rainfall, and special climatic conditions favor the development of lush vegetation. Because of frequent rains, the top of the volcano is almost always hidden either in dense fog or in haze.
Cherrapunji, India
Cherrapunji is a small town in the Indian state of Meghalaya. It is located on the Shillong plateau, north of the border from Bangladesh at an altitude of 1313 m above sea level. Along with the village of Mavsynram and the city of Loro, it is the rainiest and wet place on the ground. Falls here every year 11,777 mm precipitation.
Mavsynram, India
Mawsynram is a settlement located at an altitude of 1400 m above sea level in northeastern India, 16 km west of Cherrapunji. This village, along with the cities of Loro and Cherrapunji, is considered the rainiest place in the world. Falls here every year 11 872 mm precipitation.
Lloro, Colombia
Lloro is a municipality and city in Colombia. Estimated based on records meteorological station set in the city, this area holds an absolute record for the amount of precipitation in the world - on average 13 300 mm in year.
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Climatic conditions on Earth are different, which is especially noticeable in extreme weather characteristics. On South Pole for example, Vostok station is located at 3475 m above sea level in East Antarctica, located at the highest latitudes. Not surprisingly, Vostok is the coldest place on Earth. In other parts of the world with the hottest climates, records of the most high temperature, the driest, wettest and most windy place, as well as the place where the largest hail fell.
With a certain combination of indicators weather become extreme.
The lowest temperature in the world was recorded at Vostok station - this is due to the high latitude (78.46 ″ S - almost the pole) and altitude.
In India, the typical monsoons of Asia are common, bringing with them intense rain throughout the summer. Most of the precipitation falls in the foothills of the Himalayas, which are considered the wettest place on Earth.
The Atacama Desert in Chile is the driest place on Earth, because the air becomes dry, crossing South America and the Andes mountains before reaching the desert. When the wind changes direction, the air moves out of the ocean and also loses moisture as it passes over the cold Peruvian Current.
Other record weather conditions completely random. The largest hailstones formed in a high storm cloud could fall anywhere, and the strongest winds could blow anywhere in the world that is in the zone of tropical cyclones.
Records and anti-records of weather indicators:
1. The sharpest cold snap in one day was observed in Browning, Montana, USA. On January 23-24, 1916, the temperature dropped from 6.7 ° C to -49 ° C
2. The largest amount of snow in a single snowfall fell in Tamarak, California, USA. In March 1911, the snow thickness was 11.46 m.
3. The most strong wind was recorded in the states of Alabama and Mississippi, USA. In August 1969, Hurricane Camilla brought winds of 320 km / h with it.
4. The driest climate in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Over the past 59 years, the city of Arica has received only 0.76 mm of precipitation.
5. The hottest place is in Al-Aziziya, Libya, where on September 13, 1922, the temperature was 57.8 ° C.
6. The highest average annual temperature over a 6-year period was observed in Ethiopia. And it was 34.4 ° C
7. The lowest average annual temperature was recorded at the Pole of Inaccessibility station in Antarctica and is -58 ° С.
8. The coldest place is the Vostok station (Antarctica). On July 21, 1983, the temperature dropped to -89.2 ° C
9. Most windy place on Earth is Commonwealth Bay in Antarctica: average speed the wind there is 80 km / h. 
10. The strongest single rain took place on March 15-16, 1952 in Chilaos, Fr. Reunion, Indian Ocean: 1,867 mm of precipitation fell in 24 hours.
11. The highest rainfall during the year (1860-1861) was recorded in Cherrapunji, India, at 22,987 mm.
12. The highest multiyear rainfall was observed in the village of Mausinram, India. The annual precipitation level for 38 years was 11,872 mm.
13. The largest hailstone, weighing 1 kg, was found in Bangladesh in April 1986.
14. The highest atmospheric pressure was recorded at the Agata weather station, Siberia, Russia. On December 31, 1968, the pressure was 812.4 mm Hg. Art.
15. The lowest atmospheric pressure is 658 mm Hg. Art. recorded in October 1979 during a typhoon 483 km west of about. Guam, Pacific Ocean.
Extreme cold. Winter in Siberia lasts from October to April. average temperature in the daytime it is -16 X, and at night - about -24 ° С. This photograph was taken on December 11, 2000 near the village of Listvyanka on the shores of Lake Baikal.
The driest desert in the world. Moon Valley in Chile is part of the driest Atacama Desert. There was virtually no rain here from 1570 to 1971, so you won't find anything alive here. Under the influence of constantly blowing winds, the sand moves, which creates a landscape reminiscent of the moon.
Image copyright Alamy Image caption "The wettest place in the world." It's hard to disagree, isn't it?
When asked where the wettest place on Earth is, the smart ones can smugly answer that in the Mariana Trench.
Yes, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, in the deepest part of our planet, where over 10,000 meters of water column overhead, it is really wet. But if we are discussing the wettest place on land on the planet, the answer may be more difficult, the correspondent notes.
Currently, the Guinness Book of Records gives the palm to the village of Mosinram in India. Moisture, brought from the Bay of Bengal, from the northeast of the Indian Ocean, collects over a plateau at an altitude of 1491 m, in the Eastern Khasi Mountains, from where the plains of Bangladesh are visible.
The result of this condensation is an astonishing average annual rainfall of more than 11,871 mm. The tallest monument in the world, the 30-meter statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro would be knee-deep in water in such rains.
It is not surprising that this region has lush vegetation, many waterfalls and bizarre caves carved into limestone by water.
Image copyright Daniel J. Rao AlamyA little more than 10 km to the east, on the slopes of the Assam Mountains, is the town of Cherrapunji, traditionally called Sokhra by the locals, which is known as the second rainiest place on the planet.
It is only 100 mm behind Mosinram in terms of the average annual rainfall, but it has enough other titles and records. It was here that the wettest month and the wettest year on record were recorded.
In July 1861, precipitation here amounted to 9300 mm. Since August last year, Cherrapunji holds the record for the total annual rainfall - 26,470 mm.
Both of these extremely rainy settlements are in the state of Meghalaya, which translates to cloud abode.
Image copyright Getty Image caption Living in the rain that almost never stops ...The locals always carry with them unusual huge umbrellas woven from reeds, called "knups".
They protect the entire body from the downpour, allowing owners to go about their daily activities, mainly repairing roads and buildings destroyed by rain. Or go for a meal.
Farming in the region is not possible due to heavy rains, so products delivered from less rainy areas are sold in covered markets under waterproof sheds.
Image copyright Getty Image caption This is what Mosinram looks like. A sad sight ...Another significant problem is maintaining the serviceability of bridges in wet tropical jungle where traditional building materials rot very quickly. Local residents have found an ingenious solution - to tie the thin roots of trees to each other. The bridge consists of a bamboo frame, which is tied with the roots of rubber trees.
After 6-8 years, bamboo decays, and a "living bridge" of roots remains, which are already able to support the weight of a person. Over time, such a structure only gets stronger and perfectly withstands bad weather.
Indian rubber trees ( Ficuselastica) characterized by strong flexible secondary roots growing from the trunk of the tree.
Locals throw the hollowed-out trunks of the betel tree across streams and rivers, using them as guiding supports for thin rubber roots.
Image copyright National Geographic Image Collection AlamyAs soon as the roots reach the soil on the other side, they begin to harden and harden.
It takes about ten years to create a living bridge, but then such structures can serve for centuries. The oldest bridge in the region is known to be over 500 years old.
Although the settlements in the Khasi Mountains hold the historical record for rainfall, it has recently been suggested that the rainiest place in the world may not be there.
There are two main contenders, both in Colombia. However, Technically they cannot be compared to the Indian champions.
Lloro is a city in northwestern Colombia, in the province of Choco. On a farm near the town, the recorded average annual rainfall between 1952 and 1954 was 13,473 mm.
This is much higher than in Mosinram, but the measurements were made using outdated instruments and therefore cannot claim an officially recognized record.
Image copyright Christian Werthenbach AlamyMeteorological historian Christopher S. Burt argues that another city on the other side of the Andes could also boast record rainfall.
"In fact, the wettest place on Earth is Puerto Lopez in Colombia, with an average of 12,892 mm of rainfall per year," he says.
But Burt notes that despite consistently recording rainfall for 50 years in the area, there is a lack of data series for several months in the middle of this period.
This means that the precipitation data for Puerto Lopez is considered to be interrupted and cannot be compared with other areas in the world that have 30 years of continuous recording.
“Regardless, since data logging has been going on for so long and there are so many years without missing information, I can confidently say that Puerto Lopez tends to receive more annual rainfall on average than Mosinram,” says Bert.
It's damp in this Colombian city all year round due to its location in the foothills of the Northern Andes, stretching along the western coast of the country.
“Here, tropical moisture from the Pacific Ocean constantly flows into the surf zone ... mountains block the flow of this flow, and as a result, it rains almost constantly over Puerto Lopez. I think an average of 320 days a year it's raining... Precipitation is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year, "explains Bert.
Opinions differ on the average rainfall and the likelihood of getting wet in the rain. For example, you will successfully get wet in Mosinram, but the likelihood is even higher that you will leave Puerto Lopez in squishy boots.
Until recently, the record for the wettest two-day period belonged to Reunion Island in Indian Ocean where a tropical cyclone swept. The question arose: is Reunion the sole champion in such a single meteorological phenomenon?
Image copyright Hemis Alamy Image caption Reunion Island. A day without rainIn the spring of 2014, a group of experts from the World Meteorological Organization concluded that the two-day record for rainy weather belongs to Cherrapunji, where a staggering 2493 mm rainfall was recorded on June 15-16, 1995.
This brings us back to the state of Meghalaya, which has earned its reputation as a rainy region thanks to the legendary monsoons. It is the predominant seasonal wind rose, bringing extreme rainfall annually to South and Southeast Asia.
Due to monsoons, almost 90% of the record annual precipitation Mosinram can fall within six months, from May to October. The most rainy month July is considered with its record 3500 mm.
But in the arid winter months there is very little rainfall from December to February.
And when locals lack drinking water, the title of the wettest place on Earth sounds like a mocking paradox.
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