Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 12/06/2009 - 17:16

Hi DOM Team members! We are friends of Heidi and her family here in VT. and we are enjoying following your daily updates regarding the project. I wondered how cold is it this time of the year and which months are the coldest? It appears from the recent photos that there isn't a lot of snowfall in that area or is it just the wind blows it away. I also wondered how high is the terminus of the glacier tongue that was in one of the photos, it looked to be quite high and a sheer drop off. I'll have to remember that Heidi makes good enchilades when I see her back in Vt. Hope you all continue to enjoy your stay and we look forward to following your progress! Happy Holidays and hugs to Heidi! Diane and George

Sarah Diers

Hello Diane and George,
Heidi was so excited to see your post! And, yes, her enchiladas are amazing! You will definitely have to get her to make them for all of you the next time she is in VT.
In answer to you questions-
How cold is it this time of the year and which months are the coldest?- It is summer in Antarctica right now and temperatures around McMurdo are usually around 25-35*F. In other areas of the Continent the weather is much much colder, but nothing like it is in the Antarctic Winter. The winter weather is well into the negatives all over Antarctica- and very windy, which adds an extra element of cold. Winter in Antarctica is from March-September.
Snowfall in the Dry Valleys?- The Dry Valleys are part of the 2% of Antarctica that is virtually uncovered by snow and ice. The Transantarctic Mountains act as a dam- keeping back many of the Antarctic glaciers, and the winds are often so strong that the precipitation that falls in the Dry Valleys is blown away before it has a chance to accumulate. It was pretty unreal to know that I was in Antarctica, but hiking over gravel and sandy beaches around Lake Fryxell.
Unfortunately, I do not know the answer to your final question regarding the height of the terminus of the glacier tongue. We did not bring our GPS and altimeter to the Cotton on that day. However, we are now carrying our measuring tools with us on every trip in the field and I will get back to you with an answer when I have more information.
Thanks again for following the adventures of the DOM team. Heidi sends her love to you.
Keep Cool! Sarah