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In Antarctica, there is a polar climate, with a winter from May to September, in which the lowest values in the world are reached in inland areas, and a summer from December to February, in which temperatures remain below freezing in inland areas, while they are around freezing on the northernmost coasts.
What is the climate like in Antarctica? Antarctica is a continent, bigger than Europe, North America or Australia, and so doesn't just have one climate zone, but several. As it is centered on the South Pole, the climates are all cold, but there are still distinct zones:
What are the main characteristics of Antarctica’s climate, and what large-scale factors are responsible? Why is Antarctica’s climate colder than the climate of the Arctic?
Climate Antarctica has an extremely cold, dry climate. Winter temperatures along Antarctica’s coast generally range from -10° to -30°C (14° to -22°F). During the summer, coastal areas hover around 0°C (32°F) but can reach temperatures as high as 9°C (48°F).
Temperature. Antarctica’s average annual temperature ranges from about −10°C on the coast to −60°C at the highest parts of the interior. Near the coast, the temperature can exceed +10°C in summer and fall to below −40°C in winter. Over the elevated inland, it can rise to about −30°C in summer but fall below −80°C in winter.
Aug 9, 2023 · The average temperature in the winter is minus 34.4 Celsius (minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature in the center of Antarctica is much lower than the temperature on the coasts. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was minus 89.4 C (minus 129 F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 15 C (59 F).
Globally important research. Scientists have long recognised that Antarctica has great significance for all of humanity due to the unique role it plays in regulating the global climate and ocean currents. Today they are uncovering critical insights into the ocean, ice and the global climate: past, present and future.
