McGrath, AK is at 330ft of elevation in a river basin surrounded by mountains, 170mi from it's nearest shoreline (as the bird flies). Air temperatures at sea le

McGrath, AK is at 330ft of elevation in a river basin surrounded by mountains, 170mi from it's nearest shoreline (as the bird flies). Air temperatures at sea level never reach the extremes of coldest air temperatures on Earth, which are always at elevation. This is somewhat due to air temperature being a function of air pressure (the denser the air, the warmer it gets), and air pressure is greatest at sea level. But it is largely due to the freezing temperature of sea water, and that the warmest water will be at the surface due to convection. Warm water rises to the surface, and the coldest water temperatures are at the deepest bottom of the ocean, and never colder than the freezing temperature of sea water.