All-time temperature records

Over the past twenty years, global weather stations - over 100,000 around the world, according to NOAA’s GHCN-Daily dataset—have logged an impressive number of temperature extremes. Of the roughly half a billion daily high and low temperature entries, around 40,000 represent all-time records set during that period.

Let’s slow things down for a moment: when you slow the map animation, those dots marking record heats and colds don’t just flash by. You’ll see the West Coast biting into the cold in 1998–99, then baking under heat in 2002. Europe’s catastrophic 2003 heatwave stands out—and in 2025, parts of the continent faced something eerily similar. Asia’s sudden freeze in early 2016 also stands out in sharp white.

Source: flourish.studio

Crank the speed back up and plot highs and lows per month, and you’ll notice the rhythm of the seasons, especially where station density is heavier - in the Northern Hemisphere. Traditionally, high and low records balanced out over time. Not anymore. In the last 20 years, record highs now exceed record lows by nearly 50%, pointing toward a warming trend.

If you’ve wondered just how often "unusual" temperatures occur, here's a perspective: in the U.S., 15 of the last 20 years had more daily record highs than record lows, and in certain years - like 1998, 2012, and 2016 - the ratio exploded to more than four times as many highs as lows. By 2017, record highs were still 3.5 times more frequent, and all-time highs were outweighing all-time lows by nearly 9 to 1.

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Find cities with similar climate

This map has been created using The Global environmental stratification. The Global environmental stratification (GEnS), based on statistical clustering of bioclimate data (WorldClim). GEnS, consists of 125 strata, which have been aggregated into 18 global environmental zones (labeled A to R) based on the dendrogram. Interactive map >> Via www.vividmaps.com Related posts: - Find cities with similar climate 2050 - How global warming will impact 6000+ cities around the world?

How Cold Can It Get? The Lowest Temperatures Ever Recorded, Mapped

We often talk about record heat , especially in the context of climate change. But on the flip side, our planet also experiences cold so extreme it defies belief—temperatures that can flash-freeze exposed skin and halt life as we know it. These are not just numbers on thermometers; they’re snapshots of how Earth's atmosphere behaves under specific conditions—altitude, wind patterns, and location far from the moderating effects of oceans. The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth? That title goes to Vostok Station in Antarctica, where scientists measured a bone-cracking −89.2°C (−128.6°F) on July 21, 1983. Located on the East Antarctic Plateau, Vostok is more than 1,000 kilometers from the South Pole and sits atop about 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles) of ice. It’s isolated, dry, and high—three ingredients that make for perfect deep freeze conditions. The world map below created by VividMaps shows the lowest temperature ever recorded by country. The Coldest Inhabited Place on Earth...

Mapping the Hottest Temperatures Ever Recorded on Earth

When summer arrives, it brings not only vacation season but also some of the most extreme heat waves across the globe. While many people associate summer with warm, sunny days, some regions endure scorching temperatures that push the limits of human endurance. To put these extremes into perspective, we’ve mapped the highest temperatures ever recorded in countries around the world. The maps below, created by Vivid Maps , illustrate these record-breaking temperatures and the patterns of extreme heat across the globe. The Hottest Temperature on Record According to historical weather data, the highest reliably recorded temperature on Earth is 56.7°C (134°F) , measured in Death Valley, California , on July 10, 1913 . However, an even higher temperature of 58°C (136.4°F) was reportedly recorded in El Azizia, Libya , on September 13, 1922 . While this Libyan record stood for decades, some meteorologists have questioned its accuracy due to inconsistencies in measurement methods at the ti...

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