Places with the worst weather in the world are mostly full of unhappy people. Aside from the clear connection between outdoor activities and happy, healthy families, there is the matter of waking up to clear skies only to return home drenched in the rain.
Yes, weather patterns are becoming a lot less predictable; weather forecasters say that “extreme weather is the new normal.” In the places highlighted in this post, “normal” has always been erratic and unpredictable, but perhaps now it will become even worse than previously thought.
The information below will first consider countries; some of which are quite famous for their bad weather. Where data is available, cities will also be considered; some of which have data showing very interesting weather patterns.
Top 50 Worst Weather In The World
1 .The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom is not particularly cold; the average temperature ranges from 9–18 degrees Celsius in the summer months, which is quite temperate and welcoming to people from all around the world.
However, it is not the temperature that should frighten a visitor; it is the likelihood of returning home wet despite leaving in the morning to clear summer skies. There is a saying among the Britons: “Don’t forget your brolly!” Brolly means umbrella, and there is a very real reason why so much importance is attached to it.
Failure to take an umbrella with you could result in the situation already described in the paragraph above. In other places one might be able to predict the weather just by looking up in the morning as he leaves his house. In the UK however, people don’t attempt to predict the weather, they just take their fashionable umbrellas with them as they leave home.
2. Russia
Russia is cold. The temperature in Russia averages -4.80 Celsius. Yes it can get as hot as 18.5 Celsius in the summer, but on the average in January it is around -8°C (18°F). In some parts of Russia it snows all year round!
It is important to mention that this is quite a northern country; and although it spans Eastern Europe and Asia, it also has oceans and seas on almost every side- thus having effects on the weather.
The people of Russia are quite used to their weather; it is quite rare to see people amputated as a result of frostbite which they acquire after passing out in the snow after heavy drinking.
Visitors to Russia have to be more careful though; to compensate for the cold weather many people turn to drinking Vodka. Those who are not unused to such amounts of alcohol may find themselves passing out in the open; not good for the health.
Remember that it snows all year round in some parts of the country; even their architecture is tailored to accommodate the snowfall. Rain can come sporadically; people generally tend to wear thick and multiple clothing.
3. Canada
Canada is a country in North America; it is the second largest country in the world by land area. Canada is almost completely surrounded by Oceans and Seas, and those cold winds blowing in from these major bodies of water contribute to the crazy weather.
Canada has truly crazy weather; it is usually freezing cold in that country; in the coastal areas, average temperatures are near −15 °C. In the central areas of the country, the ground is often covered with snow for around half of the year.
If one leaves a cup of tea on the table in winter, it gets frozen before morning- and that is in the house. Furthermore, this constant snow and rain can make life quite unbearable; outdoor activities are few and hard to come by. People often get depressed by staying indoors for extended periods.
This is a beautiful country, but the weather often makes it hard to enjoy the beauty of the land.
4. United States
The United States is a country in North America, and shares an extensive border with Canada. It is therefore no surprise that it has similar weather conditions as its neighbor.
The United States extends from sea to shining sea; it has large water bodies on both its east and west sides. These add spice to its weather conditions.
The weather in the United States can be varied; it can be -3.0 °C in some places and 21.5 degrees Celsius on the same winter day. In February, the average temperature is 2.5°C, although Americans prefer to calculate temperature in Fahrenheit which would be 36.52°F.
The United States is a country where one can get to experience vastly different temperatures; it is moderate in Hawaii, cold in Alaska, and warm in Florida. There are frequent hurricanes in the USA; these named storms can cause extensive damage; but there are adequate systems in place to give early warnings and advice on what to do; thus keeping the damage minimal- at least in the area of human lives.
5. Philippines
The Philippines is a country in Southeast Asia. It is an archipelago; made up of around 7,000 islands. Islands are surrounded by water; in this case it is the western Pacific Ocean. Philippines is a country that gets plenty of wind blowing in from every corner of the country.
The trouble with the weather in the Philippines is the humidity; even on important business meetings people have to wear simple and light clothes because it can get quite warm, and then the skin starts to feel sticky and people get uncomfortable.
Then just when visitors think they have learned what they need to know about the weather in the Philippines, it can rain unexpectedly in this country. A familiar occurrence in this country is when the sun is shining bright in the sky, but water pours from the sky all the same.
The weather is unpredictable in this country; it can look like a bright, sunny day, and end up being a watery, terrible evening. The average temperature in this country is 27.1°C, although it can get as cold as 3°C. There is usually enough warning when a typhoon is about to hit; normal weather is bad enough, there is no need to worry about extreme weather.
6. Iceland
Iceland is a country in the north of Europe. Despite that name there is plenty of land, and not so much ice. The thing about Iceland is that it is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean. The country has no natural barriers; and is not particular big.
Therefore, it is no surprise that the country gets plenty of rainfall as the water blows in from the ocean. Iceland is quite a cold place, but not as one might expect for a country located so far up north.
The average temperature in Iceland is 10-13 °C during the summer months; while in the winter it is usually around 0 °C (32 °F). This is because the warm currents blow in from the ocean; cancelling out what would otherwise be frigid conditions.
It is not the cold that should be the major concern to visitors; they should rather worry about the rain that can happen sporadically. The winds can make the rainfall appear to have no direction; and umbrellas can do little to help in such situations.
7. India
India is a country in south Asia; it is the biggest country in the world by population, and the seventh largest country in the world by land area. India is a very wide land area; and there is also some variation in the land and elevation. For example; the south western part of the country meets the Arabian Sea, while the east faces the Bay of Bengal which adjoins the Andaman Sea.
India therefore gets plenty of moisture laden air blowing in from the large bodies of water. These ensure that the country gets plenty of rainfall. India gets around 115cm of rain every year; and it rains from June to November; although the height of the rainfall ends in October.
India is quite hot; the average annual temperature is about 26.9 °C. It is not very cold in the winter months either; the temperature is around 10–15 °C (50–59 °F) in the northwest, and it can even reach 20–25 °C in the southeast.
8. Greenland
Greenland is an island in northern America that is officially part of the kingdom of Denmark. It is the world’s biggest island; and its location so far up there in the north contributes to making it a place with a very interesting climate.
Greenland is not very green; it is white with snow and ice. It could be described as a frozen wasteland; but the locals would be offended at that kind of a comment. Three quarters of Greenland is made up of a huge ice sheet; the only permanent ice sheet outside of Antarctica.
Greenland gets a lot of rain; it is surrounded on all sides by water; and the moisture laden air from the water brings in the precipitation. Greenland’s average temperature is 5.6°C (42 °F) in the warmest summer months, but during the winter it averages around -18°C (-4° F).
Visiting Greenland takes a lot of daring; one should first visit the colder parts of his own country to get used to life in Greenland, before embarking on such a trip.
9. Finland
Finland is a Nordic country in northern Europe; some of its neighbors include Sweden, Russia, and Estonia. Finland has a coast on the Gulf of Bothnia, and the Gulf of Finland. However, the influences of the Arctic Ocean, and the Norwegian Sea greatly affect the climate of this country.
Finland has a diverse landscape; some of its land is mountainous; and as the country is one of the most northernmost in the world, one can expect some naturally cold temperatures. The country also has some vast expanses of land; which are densely forested; adding to the nice weather outlook.
This land was once covered with glaciers which have since melted. However it is still quite cold; in the summer months the temperature clocks only between 5.0 to 7.5 °C and 41.0 to 45.5 °F. In the winter it gets to between 0 to −4 °C or 32 to 25 °F.
Finland gets around 600 to 700 mm of rain every year. Going to Finland is therefore getting ready to get wet; and to endure the cold at the same time.
10. Sweden
Sweden is a Scandinavian country in northern Europe. The country is quite interesting because there is a lot of culture and the folktales here are ancient and mystifying. However, northern Europe is generally a cold place. Enjoying the culture can mean exposure to some very hostile weather.
Sweden has an average temperature in January of -3°C (27°F), while the temperature can get to around 15 to 25 degrees Celsius in the summers which are relatively mild.
Sweden gets around 500 and 800 mm (20 and 31 in) of rainfall per year, making it considerably drier than the global average.
However, the statements above are quite generous because they leave out the part of the northernmost part of the country being sub-Arctic in climate; and having long, cold and snowy winters.
The following is a more extensive list of the places with the worst weather in the world.
| Rank | Place | Average Temperature | Location |
| 1 | United Kingdom | 9–18 degrees Celsius | Western Europe |
| 2 | Russia | -4.80 ° Celsius | Eastern Europe |
| 3 | Canada | −15 °Celsius | North America |
| 4 | United States | Between -3.0 °C and 21.5 degrees Celsius | North America |
| 5 | Philippines | 27.1° Celsius | South Asia |
| 6 | Iceland | 10-13 ° Celsius | Northern Europe |
| 7 | India | 26.9 ° Celsius | Southern Asia |
| 8 | Greenland | 5.6°Celsius (42 °F) | North America |
| 9 | Finland | 5.0 to 7.5 ° Celsius (41.0 to 45.5 °F). | North America |
| 10 | Sweden | -3° Celsius (27°F) | Northern Europe |
| 11 | Norway | 13°-18° Celsius | Northern Europe |
| 12 | Australia | 22.7 ° Celsius (74 °F) | Oceania |
| 13 | Bangladesh | 26 ° Celsius (78 d F) | South Asia |
| 14 | Iran | 22° Celsius to 26° Celsius. | Southwestern Asia |
| 15 | Estonia | 6.4 ° Celsius (43.5 °F) | Europe |
| 16 | Ireland | 5°Celsius 40°F/and 8°Celsius/46°F. | Western Europe |
| 17 | Singapore | 27.8º Celsius | South Asia |
| 18 | Libya | 25º Celsius | North Africa |
| 19 | Netherlands | 10º Celsius (50F) | Europe |
| 20 | Eritrea | 27° Celsius | East Africa |
| 21 | Egypt | 14° Celsius | North Africa |
| 22 | Pakistan | 20.49° Celsius | South Asia |
| 23 | Latvia | +5.9° Celsius | Europe |
| 24 | Saudi Arabia | 27° C to 43° Celsius | Western Asia |
| 25 | Marquette, Michigan | 204 inches of Snow | North America |
| 26 | Ironwood, Michigan | 188 inches of snow | North America |
| 27 | Syracuse, New York | 128 inches of snow | North America |
| 28 | Barrow, Alaska | -6° Celsius (-20 degrees F) | North America |
| 29 | Fairbanks, Alaska | 15° Celsius (59°F) | North America |
| 30 | Caribou, Maine | 3°F to 76°F | North America |
| 31 | Fargo, North Dakota | 2°F to 83°F | North America |
| 32 | Erie, Pennsylvania | 2°F to 83°F | North America |
| 33 | Flagstaff, Arizona | 20°F to 43°F | North America |
| 34 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | 102 inches of snowfall | North America |
| 35 | Tucson, Arizona | 90° Fahrenheit | North America |
| 36 | Phoenix, Arizona | Between 104°F and 106°F | North America |
| 37 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 90 degrees Fahrenheit | North America |
| 38 | Bullhead City, Arizona | 99°F | North America |
| 39 | Del Rio, Texas | 97.1° Fahrenheit | North America |
| 40 | Burnley, UK | 8.1 °C | 46.7 °F and 1228 mm | 48.3 inch of rain | Western Europe |
| 41 | Cardiff, UK | 10.4 °C | 50.7 °F, and 1071 mm | 42.2 inch of rainfall. | Western Europe |
| 42 | Warrington, UK | 1038 mm | 40.9 inch | Western Europe |
| 43 | East Lancashire | 88.51 millimeters (3.48 inches) of rainfall | Western Europe |
| 44 | Shetlands, Scotland | 1,003 mm (39.5 inches) of rainfall | Western Europe |
| 45 | Belfast, UK | 9.5 °C | 49.1 °F, and 979 mm | 38.5 inches of rain | Western Europe |
| 46 | Swansea, UK | 10.1 °C | 50.1 °F, and about 1321 mm | 52.0 inches of rain | Western Europe |
| 47 | Plymouth, UK | 1040 millimeters (40.9 inches) of rain | Western Europe |
| 48 | Southampton, UK | 820 millimeters (32.3 inches of rain | Western Europe |
| 49 | Bournemouth, UK | 11.4 °C | 52.6 °F. About 798 mm | 31.4 inches of rain | Western Europe |
| 50 | Stockport, UK | 9.5 °C | 49.1 °F in Stockport. About 1047 mm | 41.2 inch of rain | Western Europe |
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Closing
The worst weather in the world occurs in the freezing lands of northern Europe and North America. What comes close is the heavy rainfall that occurs in island countries such as Iceland, England, and the Philippines where trade winds bring in moisture; making the weather very confusing and difficult to predict.