Minus 49 Fahrenheit, no shutdown: Life goes on in the 'World’s Coldest Major City'

For much of the world, a temperature of minus 49 degrees Fahrenheit would bring daily life to a complete halt. Schools would shut, roads would empty, and people would stay indoors to avoid the dangerous cold. In eastern Siberia’s Yakutsk, however, such temperatures are not a crisis. They are simply part of winter.

Footage shared by Reuters shows the mercury dipping to minus 49 Fahrenheit, or minus 45 degrees Celsius, in the Russian city earlier this week. Despite the extreme cold, residents were seen stepping out for their daily routines, wrapped in heavy layers and moving calmly through the frozen streets, showing little sign of disruption.

A city shaped by severe winters

Yakutsk, in Russia’s Far East, is home to around 300,000 people and is widely regarded as the coldest major city on the planet. Winter temperatures here routinely plunge far below freezing, making subzero conditions a normal part of life rather than an exception.


The visuals captured in the report show calm streets and pedestrians dressed head to toe in heavy winter gear, moving steadily through the icy air.

“There is no bad weather, only bad clothing”

For locals, enduring the cold is less about avoiding it and more about being prepared for it.

“As the saying goes, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing,” one resident says in the video. “Dress up warm and everything is going to be fine.”

She also pointed out that the conditions felt easier because of the lack of wind. “There is no wind, so it is wonderful. Do not stay indoors. Just go out in the open,” she added.

Extreme cold, everyday life

While minus 49 Fahrenheit may sound extreme to many, for people in Yakutsk it is just another winter day. Life in the city is built to handle such cold, and daily routines continue as usual.

The video shows how people adapt to their surroundings, reminding us that even in one of the coldest places on Earth, everyday life goes on.
Thumb image credits: Reuters