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First weekend of ‘official’ winter in Yakutsk sees ice-glazed eye lashes in world’s coldest region

By 0 and 0 and 0
01 December 2018

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Father Frost and Chyskhaan exchange their cold power at the ‘Winter starts in Yakutia’ festival. Picture: Yakutsk.rf

The globe’s coldest city got seasonal celebrations underway as the first New Year tree was illuminated in Yakutsk’s Lenin Square. 

Not only that, locals went on a 10 kilometre run in the biting temperatures - with more than 50 participants. 

The temperature sank to -45C, cold enough for eye lashes to get a natural white glaze, but not too icy for children to dance. 

First X-mas tree


First X-mas tree


First X-mas tree


Child at the celebration


Children at the celebration


Children at the celebration

The globe’s coldest city got seasonal celebrations underway as the first New Year tree was illuminated in Yakutsk’s Lenin Square. Pictures: Yakutsk.rf

The local icon of winter here is the magnificent blue-coated Chyskhaan, aka the King of the Cold. 

He was here at the ‘Winter starts in Yakutia’ festival to pass over a special ornament of cold to Grandfather Frost - the Russian Father Christmas.

Every year, in late September and early October, Chyskhaan makes his way south from the Arctic Ocean passing through this diamond-rich region also known as  Sakha Republic.

Frosty selfie


Frosty selfie


Frosty selfie


Frosty selfie


Frosty selfie

The temperature sank to -45C, cold enough for eye lashes to get a natural white glaze, but not too icy for children to dance. Pictures: Instagram

‘With his every step comes cold,' tells local Olga Stepanova.

He has two horns, by legend one from a bull, the other from a woolly mammoth. 

Grandfather Frost - or Ded Moroz  - also white bearded and dressed in red - will hand over presents to children, not late on Christmas Eve as in many Western countries but around midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Our videos show how Japanese tourists stripping off to bathe in temperatures as low s -60C.

Increasingly tourists are coming to this region - the largest in Russia - to feel ultimate cold for themselves. 

Our videos show how Japanese tourists stripping off to bathe in temperatures as low s -60C.

The region includes Oymyakon, widely recognised as the coldest permanently inhabited settlement in the world. 

A new hotel has just opened here to assist the tourist flow.

Increasingly tourists are coming to this region - the largest in Russia - to feel ultimate cold for themselves. Pictures: Instagram

Chyskhaan in Oymyakon


Frozen bear


Frosty Yakutsk


Yakutsk market


Comments (6)

We're having our first blizzard here in about 6 years. It's -4°C out with 71KpH winds. 25cm ice and snow so far.
Used to live farther north where such storms were common. Even here we'd get a couple a year. Fun to walk in, so long as you have a warm goal. I've actually missed having them around. It lets you know its winter.
Partron, US - central plains
24/02/2019 06:31
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We here in south Florida can't even imagine such cold weather. We think zreo degrees centigrade is cold.
Miles Archer , Florida, USA
15/12/2018 18:58
2
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Stars are in the children's eyes ! ...beautiful color of the costums and New Year trees!

Thanks for the pictures..
Jocelyne, FRANCE
09/12/2018 17:07
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Very nice pictures !! I wish I could travel to your country ! Krasnaïa Siberria !
Prevost, France
06/12/2018 03:01
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as long as there is no WIND and the air is -dry-, meaning not so much humidity, -45C is nothing. and when the sun is shining, it is just super!
Benedikt MORAK, Moscow
03/12/2018 02:46
8
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How cold it is! How cold you are!好冷啊!
姚剑申, 巨鹿/中国
02/12/2018 16:36
4
1
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