Antarctic: “abnormal” 20.75C temperature recorded for the first time

Scientists registered a record-breaking temperature of over 20C (68F) in the Arctic for the first time ever, drawing more concern about unstable conditions of the world’s greatest ice repository amid the climate crisis.

Brazilian scientists logged a temperature of 20.75 at the Arctic peninsula’s Seymour Island on Sunday, February 9. This was higher than almost a full degree compared to the previously recorded 19.8C in Signy Island back in January 1982.

It also topped a previous temperature record logged on February 6 by an Argentinian research hub at Esperanza. They measured 18.3C at the time as the highest reading on the continental Antarctic peninsula as per The Guardian.

The records have yet been confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization, but are believed to be consistent with a wider trend on the Arctic peninsula and neighboring islands. These regions have generated warmer temperatures by around 3C ever since the pre-industrial era.

Experts who gathered the data from remote monitoring stations after every three days described the most recent record as “incredible and abnormal”. The scientists are from Braziliant government project Terrantar. They are assigned with the task of monitoring climate change impact on biology and permafrost in 23 areas of the Antarctic. Carlos Schaefer, one of the experts, said:

“We are seeing the warming trend in many of the sites we are monitoring, but we have never seen anything like this.”

Schaefer explained that the peninsula’s temperature has shown erratic behavior in the past 20 years.

Danny Manly
Danny Manly
Danny is a reporter and news columnist for Best in Australia. He covers world news the latest world news headlines and international news including US News and Europe, Middle East News.
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