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Deep Freeze in Antarctica


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12z ECM shows extreme cold in Antarctica, 850s around -48C:

Vostok forecast, was -91F there earlier:

http://classic.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=Vostok,%20Antarctica&wuSelect=WEATHER

GFS shows Antarctica reducing the global surface temperature anomaly significantly:

http://www.coaps.fsu.edu/~maue/extreme/gfs/current/raw_temp_c.html

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Its -98 in Vostok now. Is that some kind of record?

-98 °FClearHumidity:25%Dew Point:-106 °FWind:12 mphfrom the WSW Wind Gust:- Pressure: in (Falling) Visibility:12.0 milesElevation:11220 ft

Not even (that) close (and according to the internets):

The lowest reliably measure temperature on Earth of −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) was in Vostok on 21 July 1983.

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Not even (that) close (and according to the internets):

The lowest reliably measure temperature on Earth of −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) was in Vostok on 21 July 1983.

Yes, we're not even that close.

HOWEVER, the record was in the peak SH winter. So nearly -100 F in May is nonetheless impressive!

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Yes, we're not even that close.

HOWEVER, the record was in the peak SH winter. So nearly -100 F in May is nonetheless impressive!

Antarctic temperatures only decrease slightly from May to mid-winter....there is a drop-off of a few degrees in the averages, but nothing nearly so dramatic as what we experience from mid-fall to winter in terms of differences in climo temperatures. I'm not really sure why this is.

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Antarctic temperatures only decrease slightly from May to mid-winter....there is a drop-off of a few degrees in the averages, but nothing nearly so dramatic as what we experience from mid-fall to winter in terms of differences in climo temperatures. I'm not really sure why this is.

Maybe it has something to do with the sun being completely below the horizon from late April to August. Solar radiation reaches its minimum (zero) by fall there, while in more temperate climes solar radiation levels bottom out at the solstice (with coldest temps lagging behind around a month or so).

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Maybe it has something to do with the sun being completely below the horizon from late April to August. Solar radiation reaches its minimum (zero) by fall there, while in more temperate climes solar radiation levels bottom out at the solstice (with coldest temps lagging behind around a month or so).

This is probably the main reason...also, Vostok is pretty isolated from any bodies of water so ice formation wouldn't affect temperatures as much as in the Arctic where there is more exposure to seasonal ice.

Currently -104F in Vostok as per the last update. 12z ECM at initialization shows 850s around -45C in the coldest areas of Antarctica.

its also at 11k feet

Yes, and the ice sheet gets even higher than that. Imagine what temperatures are like on the Vinson Massif which reaches 16,050'. They could easily be 15-20F colder than Vostok in elevated cols at like 15,000' but no one would know since there aren't any stations higher than Vostok, which is at 11,220'...

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This is probably the main reason...also, Vostok is pretty isolated from any bodies of water so ice formation wouldn't affect temperatures as much as in the Arctic where there is more exposure to seasonal ice.

Currently -104F in Vostok as per the last update. 12z ECM at initialization shows 850s around -45C in the coldest areas of Antarctica.

Yes, and the ice sheet gets even higher than that. Imagine what temperatures are like on the Vinson Massif which reaches 16,050'. They could easily be 15-20F colder than Vostok in elevated cols at like 15,000' but no one would know since there aren't any stations higher than Vostok, which is at 11,220'...

Vostok holds the world record for the coldest temperature..... something like -129.6 in July, perhaps they could challenge that record this summer (winter for them), but like you said, the temperatures don't fall that much between now and July. Do you recall what year that record is from?

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Vostok holds the world record for the coldest temperature..... something like -129.6 in July, perhaps they could challenge that record this summer (winter for them), but like you said, the temperatures don't fall that much between now and July. Do you recall what year that record is from?

1983

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