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Antarctica may seem like a land of perpetual winter, but even here there are seasons, but only two: summer and winter.
In Antarctica, summer is from October to March. Near the coast the temperature can exceed 10°C (50°F), and at higher altitudes it can reach -30°C (-22°F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was 20.75°C (69.35°F). The coast and the Peninsula are much warmer.
Antarctica has six months of light in summer due to the tilt of the Earth’s axis relative to the sun. During the summer, Antarctica is on the side of the Earth tilted towards the sun and is in constant sunlight.
The best time of the year to visit Antarctica is summer when wildlife is full.
November offers, without a doubt, the most adventurous time to visit the Peninsula. Some operators tend to discourage travel in November, as temperatures tend to be lower and the ice limits the access in some areas. However, the low temperatures also offer the most impressive landscapes. It is a good time to watch the penguins mate. By the end of November you will see a lot of nests full of eggs.
December and January are the months with the most sun (up to 20 hours a day), and the daily temperatures are the highest. The penguins are starting to hatch, and the penguin chicks are in large numbers at this time of the year.
February and early March are the best times to see whales. The temperatures begin to drop as the season begins to change. During this period there are fewer ships operating.
If you want to find out what winter is like in Antarctica, check out our article on this topic: Winter in Antarctica.
[Photo from Unsplash]
