How Cold is it? New Coldest Temperature Recorded

With the coldest temperatures of the season so far facing us later today consisting of an overnight low in the teens, I was intrigued by the report about the lowest ever reported temperature on the planet. 

Just so that you know, all of the temperatures discussed are in Fahrenheit (not celsius, or kelvin or any other unit of measuring heat)

Yes, it seems a record shattering, bone chilling 135.8 degrees below zero was recorded, or more accurately postulated, by space surveillance satellites for the great frozen wasteland of Antarctica. This discussion of the relative coldness of this temperature is in the USAToday article Antarctica records unofficial coldest temperature ever.

How cold is it? 

The coldest temperature ever officially recorded in the US is minus 80 degrees in some too cold place named Prospect Creek, Alaska during 1971. 

Something I find even more interesting is that carbon dioxide melts at minus 108.4 degrees and boils at minus 70.6 degrees. I bet pennies really squeal in Antarctica.

Ugh. I knew I had something better to do than visit these places. On the positive side, for those people who signed up to be the first colonists on Mars, the new unofficial cold is similar to a the temperatures of a balmy summer day there. I probable need to make sure that my name is not on that list.

It was 217 degrees warmer in Key West, Florida,  yesterday, coming in at a high of 82 degrees. 

Coldest place on the planet? Key West? You make the call.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD