In the desert of the northern Chile in South America, there is one unknown place, which is regarded as the driest part of the earth. From 1845 to 1936, with a duration time of 91 years, there was not even a drop of rain falling off its ground. It is said to be the driest place in the world as no precipitation has ever been recorded.

The Driest Place

It is amazing to learn that such place was experiencing the extreme weather as northern Chile is situated close to the ocean. Why did this phenomenon occur here? The reason is that it is situated adjacent to the high pressure of subtropical region, coupling with its geographical location which is in the Peru cold spell flowing route.

As the cold spell has a relatively low temperature, the air above the ground is stable, and thus the air parcel is not being lifted upwards to the air. Even near to the sea, the air parcel cannot be lifted up to the higher altitude to form a group of cloud. Therefore, the water vapor cannot be condensed into rain at the high altitude. Despite of this reason, this place has hardly being precipitated and thus it is considered as the top driest place on the earth.

The Hottest Place

When the season enters summer, the temperature rises to above 35 degree Celsius, a range of temperature which most people could not bear on even for those who dwelt close to the coastal shore. In fact, 35 degree Celsius is not too high.

In Turban Basin (as shown in the picture) in Xinjiang, China, a place which is called “Volcano land” locally has its maximum temperature recorded as 47.8 degree Celsius in July 1941. This is indeed extremely hot as you can feel your skin being charcoaled. This fact is so true that the flying birds even dare not to come even though they are 500km away from here. The temperature becomes hotter when the summer approaches. Nevertheless, the temperature of 47.8 degree Celsius is not an extreme temperature ever recorded on the earth.

If we explore to the lands scattering around the map, we will encounter a place called Death Valley which is situated in California. It was recorded that from July 6 to August 17, 1917 for almost 43 consecutive days, the temperature was recorded over 48 degree Celsius. This temperature was slightly lower as compared to 1913, when the Death Valley has its temperature recorded as 56.7 degree Celsius. After 5 years of 1917, Libya was recorded the highest temperature of 58 degree Celsius on September 13. Despite of this extreme temperature, it was regarded as the hottest place in the world.

The Coldest Place

One Russian businessman, Nimannuofu had once encountered the coldest place on earth. At that moment, he was on his way to do his business while passing through the Siberia. He managed to measure the lowest temperature of minus 60 degree Celsius in Siberia in 1838. This temperature has then caused confusion among the local community as they did not believe on his measurement. People just thought that this businessman has exaggerated with this inaccurate measurement and thereafter this was left as a rumor.

47 years after 1838, that was in February, 1885, a scientist recorded a temperature as low as minus 64 degree Celsius in the north latitude of the globe. This discovery has refreshed people’s mind to accept the temperature measured by the Russian businessman. People came to change the bad perception towards him. This temperature of minus 64 degree Celsius has first made scientists to regard this place as the coldest region on earth.
In May, 1957, a monitoring station situated in the Antarctic further making the scientists shocked with the minimal temperature they measured. It was minus 73.6 degree Celsius. In the same year in September, the monitoring station had recorded another shocking temperature that was minus 74.5 degree Celsius. Scientists believe that this was the lowest temperature ever recorded as there is no break record up to date.

The Most Precipitated Place

In 1816, the Cherrapunji which is located in the southern part of Malaya Mountain in India has recorded its annual rainfall amount for as much as 20,447mm. This rainfall measurement gained the place for the top amount of precipitation on earth. Thereafter, not even one country can break the record for the most rainfall falling off the ground. Nevertheless, after 44 years from 1816, which was from the month of August to the month of July in 1961, Cherrapunji had another annual rainfall amount recorded as 26461.2mm and thus breaking its previous record of 20,447mm in 1816. Despite of this high amount of precipitation, Cherrapunji again was honored as “the most precipitated region” on earth. The figure of 26461.2 is an appalling figure as it is higher than the total of rainfall amount recorded for 42 years in Beijing, China. This figure is also higher than the top precipitated amount as recorded as 8408mm in Taiwan in 1912 as much as 18053.2mm.