Throwing hot coffee into the air... at -32 degrees

- 25 March 2017 - Last updated on 29 May 2026

In short: At -32 degrees, hot coffee thrown into cold, dry air appears to explode because it evaporates very rapidly. The sudden evaporation creates a striking cloud of coffee droplets in mid-air.
At Café du Jour we usually drink our coffee in the office at our desks or in the warehouse after packing up the orders. But not everyone can be as boring as us, of course, and luckily there are videos to prove it. Take this bloke, who goes sledging with a cup of coffee in his hands — totally normal stuff, right. But when you chuck your well-earned coffee over your shoulder (what a waste...) at -32 degrees, this is what happens...
The coffee seems to instantly ‘explode’ in mid-air. That’s because the hot coffee evaporates very rapidly in the cold, dry air. Either way, it makes for some pretty striking footage.

















