The continent of Antarctica has experienced its hottest temperature on record, with a research station provisionally recording 18.3 degrees. The reading beats the previous record on the earth’s southernmost continent of 17.5 degrees in March 2015, according to the Argentine station Esperanza, which collected the data. “To have a new record set that quickly is surprising but who knows how long that will last? The reading breaks the 2015 record for the Antarctic continent, defined as the main continental landmass and adjoining islands by the WMO. The record for the Antarctic region — defined as all land and ice south of 60 degrees latitude — is 19.8 degrees recorded on Signy Island in January 1982, the WMO said.

Source: The Irish Times February 07, 2020 18:33 UTC