What are the highest and lowest barometric pressures ever recorded?
The highest barometric pressure ever recorded on Earth was 32.01 inches, measured in Agata, U.S.S.R., on December 31, 1968. Agata is located in northern Siberia. The weather was clear and very cold at the time, with temperatures between -40° and -58°. The lowest pressure ever measured was 25.69 inches, set on Oct. 12, 1979, during Typhoon Tip in the western Pacific Ocean. The measurement was based on an instrumental observation made from a reconnaissance aircraft. An excellent reference for extreme weather records like this is Paul F. Krause’s technical report Weather and Climate Extremes, the contents of which I haven’t found anywhere online. The report can be ordered through the National Technical Information Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
