06.22.10

World Wide Weather #7: Amundsen-Scott, Antarctica

Posted in Non-US Weather, Weather News at 8:18 pm by Rebekah

This week’s post in the global weather and climate series features Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica.

Located at the geographic South Pole (90 °S, 0 °E), the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is a US research station that is home to over 200 people in the summer and several dozen in the winter.  The sun only rises once a year, on the September equinox (first day of spring for the southern hemisphere), and only sets once a year, on the March equinox (first day of fall for the southern hemisphere).  Antarctica is the coldest, highest, windiest, driest, and iciest continent on earth.

A few more facts about Amundsen-Scott (from Wikipedia):

• Time zone: New Zealand Standard Time (UTC+12) or New Zealand Daylight Time (UTC+13)
• Elevation: 9,301 feet above mean sea level
• Climate zone: Polar desert
• Average high temperature: -18 °F (-28 °C)
• Average low temperature: -76 °F (-60 °C)
• Record high temperature: 8 °F (-14 °C)
• Record low temperature: -117 °F (-83 °C)
• Average annual precipitation (liquid water equivalent of the snow): 3 inches (76 mm)

Current and forecast weather: Currently it is winter at the South Pole, and the temperature right now is -97 °F, with snow falling.  Keep in the mind the sun has not risen in 3 months and will not do so for another 3 months, so there is no insolation for the research station at present.

You can see the current and forecast weather at the South Pole on the Weather Underground page here.

For more information on Amundsen-Scott, here’s a link to Wikipedia.

Next Tuesday we’ll be back to looking at the weather and climate in another part of the globe.  As always, if you have any comments or suggestions for future cities, please leave a comment on this post!

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