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Antarctica recorded for the first time a temperature above 20°C (68°F). The temperature of 20.75°C (69.35°F) was measured by Brazilian scientists on Seymour Island on February 9, 2020. Carlos Schaefer, a Brazilian scientist, described the new record as ″incredible and abnormal″.
It is the second time in a week that a record temperature has been set in the region. On February 6, 2020, an Argentine research station in Esperanza measured 18.3°C (64.94°F), the highest record in Antarctica.
The previous record was 19.8°C (67.64°F), recorded on Signy Island in January 1982.
These records (from 6 and 9 February, 2020) will have to be confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization, but show a trend of rising temperatures in the peninsula and nearby islands, which have warmed by almost 3°C (37.4°F) in the last 50 years.
The region stores about 70% of the world’s fresh water in the form of snow and ice. The sea level would rise by 50 to 60 meters if everything melts, according to scientists.
If you want to find out what the weather is like in Antarctica, check out our article on this topic: The weather in Antarctica.
[Photo from Pixabay]
