Antarctica May Have Just Set a Record for Its Hottest Day Ever

[mfcorey1]

You may want to consider balmy Antarctica for your next Spring Break. Weather bloggers at Weather Underground report that the continent likely hit a record-breaking high of 63.5 F (17.5 C) on Tuesday.

Antarctica has been heating up in recent years, thanks to global warming. The region's temperature has risen an average of about 5 F (2.8 C) in the last half century, according to the British Antarctic Survey. Studies have also documented melting ice along Antarctica's coasts.

Tuesday's record is all the more impressive considering that it was set just one day after Antarctica had reached a new high of 63.3 F (17.4 C) on Monday. Prior to those two record-setting days, the hottest the continent had ever gotten was 62.8 F (17.1 C) on April 24, 1961.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/antarctica-may-have-just-set-a-record-for-its-hottest-day-ever/ar-AAa8jPx?ocid=mailsignout

[rurallib]

1. wow - and that would be in the beginning of autumn down there

that is an incredible temperature.

[laundry_queen]

2. Wow, that average temperature rise is huge

I didn't realize that. I remember reading even a few years ago that a 2 degree C rise in temps would be devastating. Look, we're already there with 2.8 degrees C rise. Fun times. I know that the temperature changes are the most extreme at the poles, so god help us when those changes 'trickle down' to the rest of us living in the middle.

[yeoman6987]

3. In 1961 they had the then highest temperature

You would have thought something would have been done then. 54 years later and we are still discussing a hot day in Antartica? Ugh!

[laundry_queen]

4. I'm not sure I get your point

I was talking about average temperature rise. I realize that random records broken do not necessarily equal proof of climate change, however the average temperature going up so much IS a big deal. Of course they didn't do anything over a random record from 1961. Climate change was only just beginning to be recognized as a possibility and certainly it wasn't mainstream. And the average temperature probably hadn't increased much in the amount of time they were actually keeping track. The question is how come we aren't doing something NOW that we know?

[yeoman6987]

5. Well that is true!