UN weather agency confirms new record 18.3C temperature in Antarctica, says it’s ‘consistent with climate change’

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed a new hottest-ever temperature in mainland Antarctica, suggesting the result is in line with global warming data observed by the agency.

The new high of 18.3C (65F) was registered at the Esperanza Research Station on February 6, 2020, the UN agency said on Thursday as it officially recognized the new record.

It beats the icy continent’s previous record high of 17.5C (63.5F), which was recorded at Esperanza back on March 24, 2015.

The station is located on the Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost tip of Antarctica, near South America.

The all-time temperature record for the entire Antarctic region (all ice and land south of 60 degrees latitude) was set on Signy Island in January 1982, with a high of 19.8C (67.6F).

WMO Secretary-General Professor Petteri Taalas said the result is important because it helps build up a picture of the weather and climate in one of the remotest and fastest warming regions of the planet.

In a statement he said the new record is “consistent with the climate change we are observing.”

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