The hottest - ever temperature commemorate in Antarctica has been confirmed by theWorld Meteorological Organisation(WMO ) .
A temperature of 18.3 ° C ( 64.94 ° F ) was recorded on February 6 , 2020 , at Esperanza Station , an all - year - round Argentine research station in Hope Bay , on the Antarctic Peninsula .
Make no misunderstanding , this record - smashing temperature is another low reflection of the deepening climate crisis that’sslowly engulfing the world .
“ The Antarctic Peninsula ( the northwest tip near to South America ) is among the fastest - warm region of the major planet , almost 3 ° blow over the last 50 years . This new temperature record book is therefore uniform with the climate change we are observing , ” Professor Petteri Taalas , WMO Secretary - General , said in astatement .
" This novel record shows once again that climate change demand urgent measure . It is indispensable to continue strengthen the observing , forecasting , and early warning systems to respond to the uttermost event that take place more and more often due to global thaw , ” added Professor Celeste Saulo , Director of Argentina ’s National Meteorological Service and First Vice President of WMO .
temperature recordings in Antarctica are put through a strict followup process to ensure they ’re accurate , which is why the World Meteorological Organization is only just confirming this record from early last class . grant to their observations , this record temperature seen in February 2020 was the issue of a with child high - pressure organisation that created downslope winds producing significant local open heating at both Esperanza Station and Seymour Island .
As part of this Modern annunciation , the World Meteorological Organization also turn down aneven higher temperature recordingof 20.75 ° C ( 69.35 ° F ) , which was antecedently reported on February 9 , 2020 , on Seymour Island . It said this unco gamey temperature was skewed by an “ ad-lib radiation cuticle ” that led to a thermic bias misplay for the temperature detector .
The old prescribed record for the Antarctic region was 17.5 ° atomic number 6 ( 63.5 ° F ) recorded on March 24 , 2015 , also at the Esperanza Research Station . Therecord for the Antarctic region — which includes all icing / land in the south of 60 degree latitude — is 19.8 ° C , take onSigny Islandin January 1982 .
On the other side of the planet at the North Pole , things are arguably even tough . landed estate open temperatures — which , for limpidity , are unlike to air temperature recordings — of up to 48 ° C ( 118 ° F ) weredetected in June 2021around Verkhoyansk , a Siberian townsfolk in the Arctic Circle . Most scientists agree the Arctic area as a whole isheating up fasterthan any other spot on the planet as a result of human - drive mood change . The impingement of this colossal change is plant to be felt much further than the chilly confines of the Arctic and will in all probability have aknock - on effect through the satellite , from arise sea stratum to intensifying extreme weather condition event .
