Temperatures in the Antarctic climbed above 15C this month, breaking the previous winter heat record and raising concerns about the speed of climate breakdown. The new peak of 15.4C was logged at the Argentinian Esperanza base on the Trinity peninsula on 6 June, during a protracted heatwave that saw maximum daily temperatures exceed zero for three consecutive weeks.
Scientists described the event as 'absolutely crazy', with the record surpassing the previous one set at the same station in 1998 by 2C. 'It is also about 20C above normal for this time of the year,' said Raúl Cordero, a climate professor at the University of Groningen. 'That is a huge anomaly.' Unusually strong warm winds from the north blew across much of the Antarctic peninsula, with another Chilean station registering close to 13C.
On King George Island, 100 miles from Esperanza, researchers noted the landscape had changed from mostly white to brown, grey and green after temperatures hit 4.6C on 6 June. 'Last weekend was very strange,' said Chilean glaciologist Luis Muñoz. 'The temperatures here went very high so everything outside melted.' He and a colleague climbed the Collins glacier and found rain melting the ice, which should be receiving snow at this time.
The Antarctic region faces increasing human pressure from resource exploration, tourism, and fossil fuel burning. Scientists warn that major glaciers like Thwaites and Pine Island may be approaching tipping points that could raise global sea levels by four metres. While a single winter heatwave may not drastically affect sea levels, Cordero noted that such events have been occurring with increasing frequency since the 1980s, linked to climate change.
