Climate Antarctica

Climate

Be warned…this trip will take you to the coldest place on earth!

A record temperature of -90 degrees Celsius was recorded at the Vostok station, at 3,500 metres above sea level at the heart of the continent. It’s extremely rare to be able to penetrate the Inlandsis...you will probably stay closer to the coastline, where temperatures range from -30 to +15 degrees Celsius in the summer months. Due to weather conditions, ice restricts access to the continent to just 2 or 3 months per year, during the heart of the Austral summer (January- February).

Wind conditions can be just as harsh, with peaks recorded as high as 320 km/h in Terre Adélie, although they generally blow between 30 and 71 km/h. And while it may seem paradoxical, this region receives less water than the driest deserts of the world due to it being too cold. Snow occurs mainly along the coastline of the continent, where a warming of the air gives rise to ocean currents.

Imagine how much time it took for the planet to form a 5 km dome of ice!