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The climate today

In February 2020, continental Antarctica recorded its highest temperatures. This was recorded at the Argentinian research station, Esperanza, reaching temperatures of 18.3 degrees Celsius.

Esperanza and Rothera Research Stations
View of Rothera Research Station

Rothera Research Station

Rothera Research Station is a British owned research facility. This is a base for many scientists conducting important research on Antarctica.

Mostly, scientists tend to visit during the summer months (October – March), however some scientists stay there all year long. This means that they have to experience the freezing winter temperatures and see the seasonal changes in the weather in Antarctica.

A-68 and A-76

There have been dramatic changes in climate over large parts of western Antarctica. Changes in temperature have led to the collapse of ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula. Huge ice slabs now break off and float away. For example, in the Weddell Sea the A-68 iceberg calved from the Larsen C ice shelf in July 2017. This was followed by the calving of the world’s largest iceberg in 2021, an enormous mass of ice called A-76.

 

Video © NASAEarthObservatory.

Activity

Below are some images from within the Rothera Research Station. These show just some of the things that the scientists and crew can do in their down time, or when they want to escape from the cold.

Bransfield House Bar, Rothera Research Station
Penguins outside Rothera Research Station
Sleeping accommodation for two in the summer and one in the winter
Skiing near Rothera Research Station