Excerpt:
This historic warm spell in East Antarctica is an ominous example of the temperature spikes this polar climate could experience more of in a warming world.
Ground temperatures in East Antarctica have soared more than 50 degrees (28 Celsius) above normal in the second major heat wave to afflict the region in the past two years. This historic warm spell could persist for another 10 days and is an ominous example of the major temperature spikes this polar climate could experience more frequently in a warming world.
“This heat wave is a near-record (or record) event for the region of Antarctica it’s having the biggest impact on,” Edward Blanchard, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington, said in an email. “The heat wave’s large footprint is also remarkable,” as it covers a large section of East Antarctica, which makes up most of the continent.
The heat wave comes in the middle of the Antarctic winter, so temperatures are still hovering around minus-4 (minus-20 Celsius). Still, the Antarctic temperature anomaly is the largest on the globe, according to weather models.
Temperatures are expected to remain up to 36 to 50 degrees (20 to 30 Celsius) above average in parts of East Antarctica for the next 10 days. They have been substantially above average for most of July, but not as high as they are now. Last week, they climbed to 20 degrees (12 Celsius) above average.
The South Pole station will clinch its warmest July since 2002, about 11 degrees (6.3 Celsius) above average, according to Antarctic temperature analyst Stefano Di Battista. From July 20 to 30, the average temperature at the station was minus-54 (minus-47.6 Celsius), which is a typical temperature for the end of February — the end of summer in Antarctica. Vostok, at the center of the eastern ice sheet, will see its warmest July since 2009 at around 12 degrees (6.5 Celsius) above average.
“The heat wave on the Antarctic Plateau is extraordinary more for its duration than for its intensity, although some values are notable,” Di Battista said in an email…
