An American journalist in Russia, Alec Luhn, shared a photo of noodles and an egg to show how cold some parts of the country get in winter.
Taken in Novosibirsk, a city in the southwestern part of Siberia, the picture shows noodles and a cracked egg seemingly frozen in mid-air after the temperature dipped to -40 degrees in the region just a few days ago.
Pretty soon, people all over the country started posting brutal and beautiful photos too. From frosty forests to guys enjoying ice cream in shorts, here are some that have caught Bored Panda's attention!
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Yuliya Shipitsina, a woman from Novosibirsk who captured gorgeous frost on a window, also acknowledged that the weather leading up to New Year didn't bless the region with warmth. However, she told Bored Panda that the locals are used to it and aren't intimidated by it. "In cold weather, it is better to dress like a cabbage so that there are several layers of clothing. It will help to keep warm. But sometimes [you don't need anything at all]—if you go to a Russian sauna, the best option is the nearest snowdrift."
"This is Siberia, baby!"
SUP Novosibirsk, a company that organizes stand-up paddleboard trips in the area, also shared a picture from the cold. In it, Santa can be seen surfing through the river. "Our winters are very cold, and in the last few days the temperature dropped to -42° C, which is rare even here," a company spokesperson told Bored Panda. "In such [conditions], it is dangerous to even inhale air with your lungs; you need to use special waterproof wetsuits and warm EVA boots. Of course, it's still very cold, but after 5 minutes of active rowing, it gets hot."
Most of Russia has a continental climate, with long, cold winters and brief summers. However, since the country is so huge, there is a wide range of summer and winter temperatures. January temperatures are in the range of 6°C (45 °F) on the southeastern shore of the Black Sea, but things up north can get pretty crazy. For example, in 1974, the record low temperature of -71°C (-96 °F) was recorded at the northeast Siberian village of Oymyakon, the lowest temperature in an inhabited region ever. In many areas of Siberia, the soil never thaws for more than a foot.
Lake Baikal, Siberia , Russia
Man, that is so beautiful that I would go there in a heartbeat. If there wasn't Covid. And if I had any money. And if I knew I wouldn't turn into a human popsicle the instant I set foot outside.
That's really gorgeous It doesn't look like it here, but I've seen cases where people did this kind of thing using boiling water. I know it seems really obvious to anyone with a brain, but DON'T DO IT THAT WAY.
Someone needs to invite them inside for a nip of vodka and a warm in front of the fire
"When you try hanging your clothes to dry at -40C"
Man, I wish we had snow where I live. I know people who have it all the time can get tired of it, but sitting on the outside of the winter wonderlands makes me jealous.
I love the winter! It's gorgeous! I would rather be cold than hot, because you can alway put on a sweater!
Please note the tightly clenched fists. They're not as nonchalant as they want to appear.
Two Russian men who decided to risk frostbite for a photo op. I live in Michigan where plenty of folks dress like this during the winter, but even most of those folks draw the line when it dips below zero. Yikes. I hope they're okay.
I live in Phoenix. During the winter, it's easy to differentiate between native and transplant residents. People who moved here from other states tend to wear shorts and sandals while we native Arizonan's dress for a blizzard.
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I lived in Russia, and would you believe, eating ice creams when its super cold is GREAT. As for wearing shorts...arhh..no
What Russians do for fun: watch me wrestle this grizzly bear**beats chest**, then I will drink vodka after ice cream (all for fun of course).
Fun fact: Alaskans lead the US in ice cream consumption per capita.
Totally makes sense, I love eating ice cream in the winter. It doesn't melt! Amazing if you alternate with hot cocoa
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I noticed those clenched fists too...we need a video!
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I've heard it's traditional to eat ice cream in the winter in Russia, because it is believed to make you feel warmer
Lol we don't believe in it. Let's say it's tradition from those days when refrigerators with ice cream haven't been standing on every corner. So during cold season it was easy to sell and buy frozen goods.
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I've been in -20°F (-28.9°C) WIND CHILL, not actual temp, before. I thought my eyeballs froze when I just went to get something out of my car. These are some tough dudes here and no way in h*ll would I ever expose my skin like they did.
I apologize for sounding sexist but when I saw this I said, "yep...only men would do something this stupid..." I do admire the смелость :)
I wouldn't mind seeing underneath the shorts…gotta make sure everything still works properly
They are fortunately past the point where it's not unpleasant anymore as numbness takes over. However even in a Ukrainian winter my hands protected by thinnish gloves became completely numb and I had to put them under hot water to thaw. It was scary.
Please, dear young men, go home and take care. Best greetings from Germany and a happy new year!
In cold weather, you ingest warm things to cool down. Conversely, in cold climate, eat cold to warm up. Your body's temperature regulator always strives to reach homeostasis which is why eating cold causes your body to scurry and warm up to compensate and vice versa.
I assume these men would be melted puddles if they lived where I have. 125F plus degrees.
I guess if you don't want to shave your legs, freezing the hairs off will work.
Always some joker who has to take a photo op...LOL...I am cold just watching them, although ice cream is great any time! They must be members of the local Polar Bear Club!
better give your life doing something for the country....
The curious thing is that in places extremely cold the air is very dry (it's all condensed) and so it doesn't feel as cold if there's no wind. Humidity exaggerates the feeling of temperature because it aids heat transfer.
Surprisingly, when it is that cold that far inland, it does not feel that cold - there is little moisture in the air. You can realistically take the picture and get into a warm car without getting a frostbite.
"Finally, my favorite frosts came to Siberia. Just right after heavy snowfall. This is the kind of winter I love, though you can't walk for a long time. The city is empty, although the New Year is on the nose. Probably because not every car will start in this cold.
...
During these two days a dense frosty fog lay over the city. The temperature dropped to -42 degrees. See how it looks from above."
-42 °C at Novosibirsk
My mind at first : OMG, THE SNOW IT'S COVERING THE HIGH BUILDINGS.
"Walking the dog in -43C weather, such a pleasure"
I can't tell if the doggo is angry at the cold or pleased to be showing off his snazzy sweater.
Reindeer said, "F*** no, it's too cold! You're on your own this year, Santa!"
Members of a training club after cold-water dip in Lenin Square, in Novosibirsk
Some people are just crazy, but they seem to love it good for them.
Thanks how to keep your noodles frozen without a freezer
-42 °C at Novosibirsk
That temperature is crazy, but I don't really see it in the picture, if you know what I mean.
Note: this post originally had 74 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Living in Russia all my life, the coldest temperature I've ever experienced was -37C. It's really okay unless windy. But my only answer to winter swimming is "hell, no". It's crazy!
Canadian here: coldest I've felt was -35 but the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan get much colder. So glad I'm not there.
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Being from a relatively warm country(Portugal), I can't even imagine being possible, to function normally or move from bed with this temperatures...I am amazed that they are able to live a normal life...though people!
I live in a cold climate, although it doesn't often get as low as -40 C any more. You make plans for it ahead of time. You have a different set of tires put on your car in October, you have a different wardrobe that includes boots, gloves, hats, and a winter coat, your house is designed for it with insulation and heating. Moving from the bed isn't a problem because the house thermostat is set at 21.5º C.
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Russia is a beautiful country; Siberia is incredible. Was lucky enough to camp in the taiga forest in my late teens, travelling by the trans Siberian railway. It was so hot then as it was the middle of summer, often 38-40 degrees Celsius. I'd love to go back in the winter.
I would love to there and to ride the Tran Siberian railway.
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Try living in the midwest (Missouri/Illinois/Indiana/Iowa/etc.) where the weather can be snotty. Rain, freezing rain, rain mixed with snow, snow, cold wind, warms up, and then the cycle can repeat or a mix of any on the list. The extreme cold in the pics would be more endurable.
Snow is so beautiful and fun to visit but, as a native San Francisco area Californian. I would never be able to leave the house. I'm freezing when it's below about 70• f
That's because, in San Francisco, below 70 F the fog comes out and sucks out the warmth like a vampire.
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I live on the Wisconsin/Minnesota border and sure we get cold winters. But we don't go outside and swim, we eat cheese and drink beer to provide a layer of fat.
I spent two winters in Saskatchewan, Canada, where we had weeks of -30°C, with occasional dips to -50°C. That was enough cold to last me a lifetime. I would explain to people in warmer climates that the difference between 0° and -30° is like the difference between a hot summer day and freezing.
I remember one winter when we first moved to Saskatoon that was like that, but it definitely wasn't the norm. Usually it's hovering around -10 for most of the winter with a short cold snap in February.
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When you look at pictures like this and realize that it doesn't look much different than every day at home (Manitoba, where it was -42C with the windchill last week)
I grew up with this. It is literally identical weather in Central and Northern Alberta. It's pretty for about 12 hours. Then you have to go out in it. No thanks. I hate winter with a fiery passion (-20C at the end of April) and I will NEVER go back. I hate it with a fiery passion, and I guarantee that most of the snow worshippers here would very likely be ready to open a vein by the middle of one winter.
Good! More room on the x-country ski trails for the rest of us!
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I can appreciate the beauty of the scenery... from the comfort of my heated home in the UK where it is currently 2 degrees ABOVE zero. I once experienced such extreme cold when I lived in Canada... I DID NOT like!
I wonder what kind of cold they have. Here in sweden where i live its a moist cold, -15c feels like -30c up north in sweden were the cold is dryer.
So...yeah, Russia is cold, and only the brave/don't give a F**** people survive there. Just know you can eat bears, just probably not the liver
Ignore Aunt Messy. Pretty sure she's bipolar and has been sending people really mean comments for years on BP.
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I get it's beautiful...what I don't get is how humans can survive that. Who would want to live in that kind of weather. - degrees?? that's just crazy
Why is Cip IESAN's comment being down-voted? Too political?
Load More Replies... Living in Russia all my life, the coldest temperature I've ever experienced was -37C. It's really okay unless windy. But my only answer to winter swimming is "hell, no". It's crazy!
Canadian here: coldest I've felt was -35 but the provinces of Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan get much colder. So glad I'm not there.
Load More Replies... Being from a relatively warm country(Portugal), I can't even imagine being possible, to function normally or move from bed with this temperatures...I am amazed that they are able to live a normal life...though people!
I live in a cold climate, although it doesn't often get as low as -40 C any more. You make plans for it ahead of time. You have a different set of tires put on your car in October, you have a different wardrobe that includes boots, gloves, hats, and a winter coat, your house is designed for it with insulation and heating. Moving from the bed isn't a problem because the house thermostat is set at 21.5º C.
Load More Replies... Russia is a beautiful country; Siberia is incredible. Was lucky enough to camp in the taiga forest in my late teens, travelling by the trans Siberian railway. It was so hot then as it was the middle of summer, often 38-40 degrees Celsius. I'd love to go back in the winter.
I would love to there and to ride the Tran Siberian railway.
Load More Replies... Try living in the midwest (Missouri/Illinois/Indiana/Iowa/etc.) where the weather can be snotty. Rain, freezing rain, rain mixed with snow, snow, cold wind, warms up, and then the cycle can repeat or a mix of any on the list. The extreme cold in the pics would be more endurable.
Snow is so beautiful and fun to visit but, as a native San Francisco area Californian. I would never be able to leave the house. I'm freezing when it's below about 70• f
That's because, in San Francisco, below 70 F the fog comes out and sucks out the warmth like a vampire.
Load More Replies... I live on the Wisconsin/Minnesota border and sure we get cold winters. But we don't go outside and swim, we eat cheese and drink beer to provide a layer of fat.
I spent two winters in Saskatchewan, Canada, where we had weeks of -30°C, with occasional dips to -50°C. That was enough cold to last me a lifetime. I would explain to people in warmer climates that the difference between 0° and -30° is like the difference between a hot summer day and freezing.
I remember one winter when we first moved to Saskatoon that was like that, but it definitely wasn't the norm. Usually it's hovering around -10 for most of the winter with a short cold snap in February.
Load More Replies... When you look at pictures like this and realize that it doesn't look much different than every day at home (Manitoba, where it was -42C with the windchill last week)
I grew up with this. It is literally identical weather in Central and Northern Alberta. It's pretty for about 12 hours. Then you have to go out in it. No thanks. I hate winter with a fiery passion (-20C at the end of April) and I will NEVER go back. I hate it with a fiery passion, and I guarantee that most of the snow worshippers here would very likely be ready to open a vein by the middle of one winter.
Good! More room on the x-country ski trails for the rest of us!
Load More Replies... I can appreciate the beauty of the scenery... from the comfort of my heated home in the UK where it is currently 2 degrees ABOVE zero. I once experienced such extreme cold when I lived in Canada... I DID NOT like!
I wonder what kind of cold they have. Here in sweden where i live its a moist cold, -15c feels like -30c up north in sweden were the cold is dryer.
So...yeah, Russia is cold, and only the brave/don't give a F**** people survive there. Just know you can eat bears, just probably not the liver
Ignore Aunt Messy. Pretty sure she's bipolar and has been sending people really mean comments for years on BP.
Load More Replies... I get it's beautiful...what I don't get is how humans can survive that. Who would want to live in that kind of weather. - degrees?? that's just crazy
Why is Cip IESAN's comment being down-voted? Too political?
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