How Cold is Antarctica?: A Guide to Weather, Temperature, and Climate for Visitors

As you plan your trip to Antarctica, you have probably asked the question how cold is Antarctica?

Here is a quick overview of Antarctica’s temperature, weather, and climate for visitors.

• Antarctica’s average annual temperature ranges from the low of -60°C at the highest points of the interior to -10°C in the coastal regions.
• Antarctica is the windiest, driest and coldest continent on Earth.
• Due to the lack of precipitation, Antarctica is considered a desert.
• The temperatures in the coastal areas (which you will visit on an expedition cruise) are far milder than those in the harsh interior. The coldest temperatures are found on the plateau and the South Pole.
• During the summer, temperatures can reach up to +10 C (50 F) on the Antarctic Peninsula (far milder than people imagine when visiting Antarctica)
• The Antarctic Peninsula is the most northerly point of the Antarctic continent and also the warmest, making it the most popular destination for visitors. Most cruises will visit West Antarctica, and its proximity to South America makes it a good departure point,
• Most travellers opt to visit Antarctica during the summer months for the warmest temperatures.

And a couple of quick facts

• The highest temperature recorded in Antarctica was 18.3°C (64.9°F) in February 2020 at the Esperanza Base in Argentina. 
• The lowest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was —93.2° C (-136° F), observed by satellite data on the East Antarctic Plateau on 10 August 2010.

Let’s examine what makes Antarctica so cold, including the milder Antarctic Peninsula climate where you will likely be visiting, and the average monthly temperatures.

What makes Antarctica so cold?

There are a number of key factors that make Antarctica so cold.

Altitude

It’s the highest continent on Earth due to the thick layers of ice on top of the land, which gives it an average elevation of around 2,500m. 

On the Antarctic mainland, this impacts temperatures, which drop around 1°C (33°F) for every 100 metres of altitude gained. 

So, what are the other reasons Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth?

It’s covered in ice

Antarctica is covered by a massive ice sheet that is roughly the size of the US and Mexico combined and thousands of metres thick. 

This is glacier ice, which originally fell as snow and hardened into thick ice over thousands of years. It’s the largest ice sheet on the planet (the second largest in Greenland). As winds blow across it, it acts as a giant refrigerator.

Lack of direct sunlight and reflection

The North and South Poles get very little direct sunlight due to their positions, with the North at the top and the South at the bottom and the coldest. 

The Arctic is warmer partly because of the Arctic Ocean, and an ice sheet covers Antarctica.

During the summer, the sun is low on the horizon, and due to the sloped angle at which sunlight travels to Antarctica, by the time it penetrates through the atmosphere, the rays aren’t strong enough to have much of a heating effect on the continent’s surface. 

Ice and snow reflection 

In addition to a lack of direct sunlight, Antarctica’s thick ice cover and snow reflect the light it receives and divert it back into the atmosphere, which acts as a massive coolant. Precipitation mostly occurs in the form of snow and ice crystals. The coastal regions receive more snow and rain than the interior, with precipitation up to 200mm.

High Winds 

Antarctica is well known for its incredibly windy conditions, which are due to the belt of low pressure surrounding it. 

Katabatic winds are created when the air cools over the elevated ice sheet, producing dense, extremely cold air.

This low pressure in the coastal regions can strengthen the high-pressure winds of the interior, with gusts over 125mph. This wind chill makes it already extremely cold. 

Antarctica’s Climate Explained 

Antarctica has a polar climate, and temperatures are mostly below-freezing throughout the year. 

It’s the coldest, driest, and windiest place on Earth. It is technically a desert, the largest in the world. That’s because of its low rainfall, with an average precipitation of less than 6.5 inches in coastal regions and even less inland.

There are regional variations in climate and temperature across Antarctica. The interior has the harshest conditions, with stronger winds and lower temperatures elevated inland. Winds can reach speeds of up to 200 miles per hour in parts of Antarctica.

The coastal areas of West and East Antarctica have mild winters, allowing wildlife to live there. Antarctic cruises tend to visit the West, including the Antarctic Peninsula, during the Antarctic summer. But in addition to layering up with the right kit, you’ll need a high-factor sunscreen, as the snow acts as a reflector.

During peak travel season in the Antarctic Peninsula, temperatures can vary between 1 – 8°C.

The sea surrounds the South Shetland Islands, offering even milder temperatures.

Extreme Weather in Antarctica

One common and dangerous feature of Antarctica’s weather is blizzards, which can be deadly due to the extreme cold and gale-force winds. Another extreme and life-threatening weather condition on the continent is whiteouts with blowing snow.

Wind rips across the surface, which is called drifting snow, and creates dangerous conditions.

Drifting snow occurs when the wind picks up and carries loose snow at lower speeds. It occurs when visibility is drastically reduced by snow, fog, or sand, causing the horizon to disappear from view, making it very difficult and dangerous to navigate.

The Drake Passage is an infamous sea crossing, and with good reason. The Southern Ocean generates its conditions and creates unpredictable weather due to circumpolar water, strong winds, and varying temperatures. The mix of weather and ocean conditions makes for pretty rough sea travel. 

Why is there no human population in Antarctica? 

Antarctica is the only continent on Earth with no indigenous or permanent population.  This is due to a combination of its extremely remote location, hostile and harsh climate, and lack of natural bridges to connect it with other continents. 

Although there are no permanent residents or citizens, an estimated population of around 5000 scientists and researchers live and work in Antarctica between October and April, during the height of summer. Only the hardiest stay during the winter, when the population drops to around 1000 scientific staff.

However, more and more people want to explore the White Continent, and around 70,000 people visit every year on expedition cruises. 

Temperatures in Antarctica: lowest, highest and average

• The lowest temperature ever recorded in Antarctica was on 10 August 2010 at the East Antarctic Plateau, when satellite data captured a temperature of -93.2° C (-136° F).
• The highest recorded temperature in Antarctica was 18.3°C (64.9°F) in February 2020 at the Esperanza Base in Argentina. 
• The coldest months are July and August. The South Shetland Islands experience temperatures of -5/-6 °C (21/23 °F), the Antarctic Peninsula 0/-12 °C (10/14 °F), and around -15/-18 °C (0/5 °F).
• December and January are the warmest months, where the daily average is 1/2 °C (34/35.5 °F) in the South Shetland Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, and ranges from -2 to +2 °C (28.5 to 35.5 °F) along the coast surrounding Antarctica. 
• At the South Pole, the average annual temperature is -48.65 °C (-55.5 °F) and ranges from around -26.5 °C (-15.5 °F) in December to about -60 °C (-76 °F) in July. 

How Cold is Antarctica on an Expedition Cruise? 

Most expedition cruises to Antarctica will be visiting the Antarctic Peninsula. It’s located about 620 miles away from Tierra del Fuego in the southernmost tip of South America and has a much milder climate than the interior of Antarctica.

However, there is also some variation within the Antarctic Peninsula. The west coast is much warmer than the east coast because there are ice shelves on the eastern side.

The Antarctic Peninsula also experiences a mix of sunny summer days, dark winter days and even blizzards.

Weather can be unpredictable, even during the peak travel months of summer, but generally, temperatures are around 1/2 °C (34/35.5 °F). 

Rainfall is low throughout the year and is at its lowest from June to August, with under 2 inches a day. Daylight hours are also the shortest, between 8 and 10 hours. 

How is climate change affecting Antarctica’s weather and temperature? 

Climate change dramatically impacts Antarctica’s weather and temperature, particularly on the Antarctic Peninsula. Its west coast has actually become one of the most rapidly warming places on Earth over the past 50 years- with a mean annual temperature rise of 3°C. For comparison, that’s five times the global mean temperature. So far, the rest of Antarctica’s temperature is rising slower and is predicted to increase by a small amount over the next 50 years. 

Regarding weather conditions, climate change is causing more snowfall as warmer air holds more moisture. A 2019 study showed the impact of a small number of extreme snowstorms on Antarctica. 

Antarctica is a crucial location for climate scientists. It enables them to make accurate predictions about how climate and weather patterns are changing due to warming temperatures and rising sea levels.

Rising temperatures cause ice shelves to break and glaciers to melt, which raises sea levels. The Antarctic ice sheet loses an average of 150 billion metric tons of ice every year. Like the Arctic, climate change is having a huge impact on sea ice.

In February 2021, Antarctica recorded its hottest temperature, 18.3°, at its northernmost tip, the Esperanza Station.

By analysing ice cores extracted from the Antarctic ice sheet, scientists can establish climate and temperature shifts over thousands of years and that the concentration of CO2 is now nearly 50% higher than it was before the Industrial Revolution.

Climate change also means that penguin numbers are declining in Antarctica. This has been particularly devastating for the emperor penguin population, which breeds on the seabed surrounding Antarctica. Emperor penguin colonies have declined by up to 50% in some areas. 

There have been remarkable advances in technology in recent years. NASA’s ICE SAT and European Space Agency’s CryoSat satellites produce high-resolution images to track changes in the ice sheet. And in 2023, the first Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) was deployed from the RRS Sir David Attenborough.  AUVs are robot submarines used to explore the ocean without direct control from the ship and can travel to otherwise inaccessible places such as under the sea ice and in front of calving glaciers. 

Summary

To answer the question of how cold is Antarctica?

• While Antarctica is the coldest continent, the temperature varies depending on the areas you visit and the time of year.
• The summer months offer the mildest temperatures, although be prepared for fluctuations. A warmer day can feel mild until the wind picks up and temperatures drop.
• Visitors don’t go to Antarctica in the winter as the temperatures and weather are too extreme.
• Unless you are visiting the South Pole, you will experience the mildest temperatures during the height of summer in the coastal areas.
• Dressing for the weather and staying warm and dry is essential on your Antarctica cruise.

Antarctica, or the White Continent, is an extraordinary place for scientists and visitors alike.  Most Antarctic expedition cruises visit the Antarctic Peninsula, which offers shore landings, hiking, and wildlife watching. 

Are you ready to explore Antarctica? With Polar Escapes, you can find and book the largest expedition cruises and tours to the white continent.