The world’s coldest region recorded the most intense heatwave ever last year, according to a study published last month.
In March 2022, temperatures in Eastern Antarctica spiked about 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above the monthly average, said the study “The Largest Ever Recorded Heatwave – Characteristics and Attribution of the Antarctic Heatwave of March 2022”.
On March 18, the hottest day of the heatwave, the temperature rose to -10C (-14F) – a stark contrast to the -54C (-65.2F) average for March.
Temperatures remained above the previous -31C (-23.8F) record for March over three consecutive days, including during the night-time.
Researchers determined that the heatwave stemmed from unusual air circulation patterns near Australia.
In just four days, a warm mass of air from Southern Australia was able to move into East Antarctica, “probably the first time that at least it’s happened that fast”, Edward Blanchard-Wrigglesworth, author of the study, was quoted as saying by The Washington Post.
The heatwave took place shortly after record sea ice minima in February 2022, according to the study.