Weather in Antarctica

1/DO YOU HAVE THUNDERSTORMS IN ANTARCTICA?

Yes we do but not as far south as Rothera. Among the British Bases, there has been one reported at Faraday base (now called Vadanski) which is about 180 miles north of Rothera, and several reported at Signy Island which is much further North.

2/ WHAT IS THE AVERAGE YEARLY ANNUAL RAINFALL AT YOUR STATION?

We do not measure rainfall (or snow fall) at the base because we have not yet built a suitable system for collecting it. Standard rainfall measuring devices use a tipping spoon type system which will only work with liquid water. We have tried using a bucket to measure the ammount of snow falling, but the wind just blows it out again. As we have a seasonal melt we do not measure total accumulation. However 300' above the station we have snow stakes which show a net accumulation of aproximately 2 metres of snow per year. For comparison, the entire Antarctic continent receives an average of 14.6 to 19.2 cm (5.7 to 7.6 inches) per year.

3/ARE YOU IN A WINDY REGION, OR ARE THE WINDS NORMALLY CALM THERE?

I would say that generally it is not very windy, but when the wind does blow it REALY BLOWS! I have included monthly statistics for 1998 below. Note that the maximum gust every recorded was 85 knots (1 knot = 1.12 miles per hr.).

4/WE REALISE YOU ARE IN ANTARCTICA'S SUMMER SEASON. WHAT IS THE AVERAGE DAILY HIGH AND LOW TEMPERATURES DURING THE SUMMER?

I have not got statistics for January yet, but for December '99 the statistics (in degrees centigrade) are:

max temp	+7.0
mean max temp	+2.1
mean temp	+0.3
mean min temp	-1.1
min temp	-3.3

For comparison I have included the 1998 monthly data below.

It is worth mentioning that when the sun is out it feels really quite warm and you can wear t-shirts and shorts, I even went swimming in the sea! (but only for 4 minuits before I was totally numb). Conversly when it is cloudy and the wind is blowing the windchill takes the apparent temperature down by 10 degC.

5/IS THE PRECIPITATION THERE ALWAYS IN THE FORM OF SNOW, OR DOES IT RAIN AT TIMES?

Predominately we get snow although we do get occasional rain from September through to May. As you go farther north in the Peninsula, there is much more rainfall, especially in the South Shetland Islands. The amount of rainfall declines as you go to the south.

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Additional Data; wind speeds in knots (1 knot = 1.12 mph), temperatures in degrees Centigrade:

Monthly Statistics for 1998
	jan	feb	march	april	may	june
max temp	7.4	7.3	5.9	7.3	3.1	3.5
mean max temp	4.0	3.6	1.9	1.9	-1.9	-1.0
mean temp	1.8	1.6	0.1	-0.5	-4.1	-2.8
mean min temp	0.2	0.3	-1.4	-2.3	-5.9	-4.7
min temp	-2.6	-2.2	-4.2	-8.4	-14.2	-12.8
mean wind	7.0	12.1	13.3	17.6	11.8	16.3
max gust	42.5	61.8	58.5	65.9	55.7	59.1

	july	august	sept	oct	nov	dec
max temp	1.2	-0.2	3.4	1.5	3.9	5.4
mean max temp	-3.9	-4.7	-4.6	-2.6	0.1	2.8
mean temp	-5.7	-6.8	-6.9	-4.7	-2.4	0.4
mean min temp	-7.7	-8.8	-8.9	-6.5	-4.2	-1.0
min temp	-14.2	-18.3	-16.5	-12.5	-9.2	-4.4
mean wind	13.6	15.3	16.4	14.6	12.7	11.1
max gust	57.8	62.0	50.0	50.0	49.1	47.6

extremes on record since 1977
max temp	+8.5 dec 1984 and Jan 1990
min temp	-39.5 Aug 1980
max gust	85.0 jan 1995

Thank you for your interest in the meterology of Antarctica. I have tried to assemble some sensible answers to your questions. I am willing to supply any further information you may require or answer any general questions. Please do not hesitate to email or write to me.
Robin Goodhand, BSc (hons) Applied Physics

Meteorologist/Physicist
Rothera Base, Antarctica
c/o British Antarctic Survey
Port Stanley
Falkland Islands
South Atlantic

rdgo@south.nerc-bas.ac.uk

Questions, Comments
email David Hughes, djh6183@uncwil.edu
Last updated February 21, 2000