Antarctica Reaches 65 Degrees, Warmest Temperature Its Ever Seen

Antarctica reached the warmest temperature it’s ever recorded, earlier this week, as reported by Complex.

A meteorological agency from Argentina recorded temperature at 18.3°C (65°F) on Thursday. Antarcitica.gov states that average temperature ranges from −10°C on the Antarctic coast to −60°C inland. In the summer, temperatures occasionally rise above 10°C. 

Victoria University of Wellington climate scientist Professor James Renwick tells The Guardian that the World Meteorological Organization committee will verify this record: “Of course the record does need to be checked, but pending those checks, it’s a perfectly valid record and that [temperature] station is well maintained,” he explained. “The reading is impressive as it’s only five years since the previous record was set and this is almost one degree centigrade higher. It’s a sign of the warming that has been happening there that’s much faster than the global average. To have a new record set that quickly is surprising but who knows how long that will last? Possibly not that long at all.”

The previous record was 17.5°C (63.5°F), recorded in 2015. 

The Copernicus Climate Change Service, a European Union organization that monitors climate, reports that 2019 was the second hottest year ever recorded. If warming trends continue, scientists warn that natural disasters will continue to rise.