Residents of Russia's Urals and Siberia, where temperatures have plunged to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit (Celsius), have taken to social media to celebrate the cold.
A woman throws boiling water into the freezing air as it instantly condenses into an elaborate pattern of ice crystals in Irkutsk, Russia. Photo: AP
According to the state news agency TASS, current temperatures in Russia are much colder than average for the time of year. Temperatures plunged to unusual levels even for the cold-resistant Russians.
Unsurprisingly, the trick of throwing boiling water in the air and watching it turn into ice - which was popular in North America during the polar vortex - has become a trend. People across the country have been taking part in the "Dubak" challenge, which is Russian slang for bitingly cold weather.
Hundreds of social media users have been posting photos and videos under the hashtag #dubakchallenge, or "cold challenge," showing people throwing boiling water into the freezing air and it instantly condensing into an elaborate pattern of ice crystals.
The rare cold spell has subsided since the hashtag took off last week, with temperatures in Siberia's largest city, Novosibirsk, climbing to a high of minus 27deg Centigrade (minus 18 Fahrenheit) on Thursday.
Just a word of caution it can be dangerous to throw boiling water into the air in any direction.
- BBC