Antarctica Much Colder Than Usual In July & August 2023
The Chinese Academy of Sciences found that the Antarctic cold spells shattered records amid global heat waves in late winter 2023, something the mainstream media almost never report
In a report appearing in the online PhysOrg journal, 2023 “brought an unexpected twist with extreme cold events in Antarctica” – according to a new study published in Advances in Atmospheric Sciences.
“Record cold temperatures were observed in our Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) network as well as other locations around the region,” said Matthew A. Lazzara of the Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison). “These phases were marked by new record low temperatures recorded at both staffed and automatic weather stations, spanning East Antarctica, the Ross Ice Shelf, and West Antarctica to the Antarctic Peninsula.”
Kunlun Station recorded its lowest temperature ever observed at -79.4°C, nearly 5°C colder than the old record.
“These extreme cold events were unprecedented and had significant operational impacts,” said David E. Mikolajczyk, the corresponding author of the study.
In a detailed examination of the late winter months of 2023, researchers observed extreme cold temperatures across a broad region of Antarctica.
“The highest point, Kunlun Station, recorded its lowest temperature ever observed at -79.4°C, which was about 5°C lower than the monthly average,” added Prof. Minghu Ding from State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences. “Interestingly, at the same time, record-breaking high temperatures were occurring in South America, which is relatively close to Antarctica.”
In Chile, temperatures soared close to 40°C (104°F), while Rio de Janeiro broke a 117-year-old heat record.
So what did the researchers find out? Is Antarctica sending mixed climate messages?
The study identified four distinct cold phases from mid-July to the end of August 2023.
An analysis of 500-hPa geopotential height anomalies revealed strong negative anomalies in August 2023. This mid-tropospheric atmospheric environment played a crucial role in the observed extreme cold temperatures.
The research suggests that both southerly flows from the continent and calm atmospheric conditions contributed to these cold spells.
With temperatures plummeting below -50°C, essential flight operations to key research stations were severely disrupted. These temperatures risked hydraulic failure and fuel gelling in aircraft, rendering safe flights impossible.
“These extreme cold events were unprecedented and had significant operational impacts,” said David E. Mikolajczyk, the corresponding author of the study. “Understanding these conditions helps us better prepare for future challenges in Antarctic logistics.”
This study, conducted by a team of international scientists, underscores the importance of understanding atmospheric environments that lead to extreme cold temperatures. Their findings are vital for improving the safety and efficiency of Antarctic operations.
AWS observations from the UW Madison Antarctic Meteorological Research and Data Center (AMRDC) AWS program and State Key Laboratory of Severe Weather AWS program were primarily used for event analysis.
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Koen Vogel
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Thanks for sharing this. The conclusion should definitely be: we know very little. The idea that the IPCC models predict anything is laughable. The idea we even know where to start would be a good point to reassess where Science stands and to become very, very humble.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi PSI Readers,
“Toil is Meaningless”. “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was previous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. I hated all the the things I had toiled for under the sun, because I must leave them to the one who comes after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool?” (Ecclesiastes 2:17-19a, NIV)
I have called your attentions to the story of three men who for years attempted to answer the question: Is what we OBSERVE real and therefore important to increase our understanding of NATURE (natural events of this article).
This article must be considered nonsense because there is no mention of three year long La NIina abnormal weather event and suddenly ended in July to become an extremely abnormal El Niño weather event. Hence I conclude this article was written and shared by fools. You readers have been warned.
Have a good day
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lloyd
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Angry much? Calling people fools is about as intellectual as spitting at them. SAD.
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Koen Vogel
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Your correlation with La Nina & El Nino events seems likely, but hardly irrefutable. Broad swaths of Antarctica – not just those on the Pacific rim – recorded record low temperatures. The article by Tomanek et al. associates these cold events with “The monthly 500- hPa geopotential height anomalies show strong negative anomalies in August.”. That is to say there was an unusually strong Low Pressure system over Antarctica and high pressure systems in the South Atlantic and Pacific in July and September,. The severe Lows basically ejected much more heat to space than usual. The cold month of August is a mess, with basically very weak low and high pressure systems, which indicates these record colds are very likely caused by a major disruption of Antarctica’s semi-permanent weather systems. What caused the record cold temperatures? A severe Low sandwich with a weak pressure system in the middle as the meat.
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