YAKUTSK, December 22 (RIA Novosti) - Temperatures in the northeast Siberian republic of Yakutia could plummet to minus 68 degrees Celsius (-90.4 Fahrenheit) this week, the local meteorological service said on Monday.

"In the next few days we expect a cold spell in the towns of Verkhoyansk and Oymyakon, with weather likely to drop to minus 64-68 degrees Celsius (minus 83.2-90.4 Fahrenheit)," a spokesman said.

In the town of Oymyakon, dubbed the North Pole of cold, or the place where the lowest-ever temperature in the Northern hemisphere has been recorded, temperatures fell to -60 degrees Celsius (-76 Fahrenheit) overnight.

In the town of Verkhoyansk, located some 600 km (372 miles) from Oymyakon and also noted for its exceptionally cold winters, the temperatures hit -55 degrees Celsius (-67 Fahrenheit) on Sunday night.

More freezing weather, as well as fog and blizzards are expected in Yakutia this week, the spokesman said adding that the extremely cold weather was due to an influx of a cold polar air mass.