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Antarctic Weather Stations

Hi Kirk!

Its great to see your pictures from Cape Bird and from McMurdo. When I left both places they were still pretty solidly covered in ice. What I was really surprised about when there between Nov-December was that the temperature, although below freezing, never were completely intolerable. I think I was colder that night we went to the ice festival in Fairbanks then I was any time while at McMurdo. I have certainly felt colder here in Houston in the winter as well. Moisture truly plays a role in that as well as thermals, but do you find the height of summer to be more comfortable and manageable then you expected?

have a wonderful rest of your adventure! the whole experience is out of this world!

cheers, Ann Linsley Human Impacts in Antarctica

Tue, 01/15/2008 - 11:27

Kirk Beckendorf

Hi Ann,I think it it is something of a mental thing.
I have been watching the weather here at McMurdo andthe AWS sites since last March. So before I came down I knew that the temps here at McMurdo would be in the 20s and 30's most of the time. BUt I still had this mental thought that since I was going to Antarctica it would be bitterly cold (even though in Alaska I have experienced weeks at a time of 40 below).
Even now, I still dress warmer than I would if I were back home and it was 25 degrees.
Kirk