15 places in the world with the most extreme weather

However, some of these weather patterns are so extreme, they’ve become tourist attractions on their own accord. So if you are some kind of storm chaser or someone into extreme meteorology (if that’s a thing) then here are some places you may want to visit.

Vostok Station, Antarctica

This is on record as the coldest place on earth. The lowest temperature ever recorded is -89.2ºC on July 1 1983. Average temperature there is −31.9 °C.

In Africa, the coldest place is not Limuru. Or Kericho. Or Kakamega. Or Kinangop in July. It’s Sutherland, South Africa where the average temperature is 11.3ºC, although the farm Buffelsfontein holds the official lowest temperature record in the country, of −20.1 ºC.

Death Valley, California

This is the hottest place on earth. The highest temperature ever recorded was 56.6 ºC in 1913.

In Africa, this title goes to El Azizia, Libya where record highs of up to 47 ºC are recorded annually.

Mawsynram, Meghalaya, India

This is the wettest place on earth. They get annual rainfall of 467 inches (11861.8 mm). The state Meghalaya translates to “abode of the clouds” and also holds the second wettest place in the world.

In Africa, Ureca, Bioko Island, Equitorial Guinea receives 411 inches (10439.4 mm) of rainfall per year.

McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

This is the driest place on Earth. It experiences no rainfall. It consists of a row of snow-free valleys located within Victoria Land west of McMurdo Sound. It hasn’t rained in 14 million years.

Africa’s answer to driest place is Libya’s Kufra in the middle of the Sahara Desert where only 0.860 mm of rain are received per year.

Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica

Due to its distinct dome shape and cool climate, Antarctica experiences downslope winds. Because the air is cold and dense, partnered with the earth’s rotation, winds flow from the slopes downwards and blow left. And very strong. Wind speeds can reach up to 241.4 km/h.

But the strongest non-storm winds ever recorded are in Barrow, Australia on 10 April 1996, where an unmanned weather station recorded the strongest gust of wind that reached 408km/h.

Mt. Kilauea, Hawaii

This is the world’s most active volcano. It hasn’t stopped erupting since 1983.

Mt. Nyamuragira in the Democratic Republic of Congo is Africa’s most active volcano with the last eruption in 2014.

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

This is the flattest place on earth. With an area of 10359.95 sq. km. and 100 km across of salt flats and up to 40 billion tonnes of salt. Salar de Uyuni is also the world’s largest lithium reserve.

In Africa, we have two distinctly flat locations. Ethiopia has the Danakil Desert which is known to locals as the “Gateway to Hell”. Daytime temperatures surpass 50°C,

The 16,000 sq. km. Makgadikgadi Salt Pans in Botswana are a set of multiple saltpans divided by sandy desert.