Climate in Antarctica

The Antarctic is cold – remember, it is covered in ice, and does not really get warm, as it probably does where you live. It is considered a desert because of the very low snowfall each year. One of the influences on the climate is the high altitude (remember, it has the highest average altitude of anywhere on earth, with half of Antarctica more than one mile above sea level). Also the winds have an enormous effect on the weather, primarily coming from the Polar Plateau. They bring dramatic storms with wind chill lower than -73° C and visibility reduced to less than 100 feet.

Now look at the following graph:

Unlike where you might live, there are only small changes in the temperature in one day in Antarctica. There may also only be small changes between the seasons. The high temperature might be only -10° C (18° F) in the summer, and less than -30 (-22° F). Many locations have a far wider difference in the weather during a year.

South Pole, Amundsen-Scott Station
Coldest Day Recorded, July 22, 1965 –80° C (–113° F)
Warmest Day Recorded, January 12, 1958 –15° C (5° F)

Take a look at a picture of a typical day in Antarctica