In a disturbing revelation, a new record temperature has been recorded in Antarctica at a whopping 20.75 degrees Celsius, breaking the 20-degree record for the first time ever. As per Brazilian Scientist Carlos Schaefer, temperatures as high as this have never been seen before.
Carlos has also mentioned that the reading which has been taken on an island off the northern tip of Antarctica on February 9 has no meaning when it comes to Climate Change trend as it is just one off temperature and not part of a data set, which is long term.
However, the fact that Antarctica, the icy continent is witnessing temperatures in the 20s will only add fuel to the scare of the planet warming situation.
The reading took place at Seymour Island, which happens to be a part of the chain off the peninsula which forms a curve from the northernmost tip of the freezing continent and is also home to the Marambio research base of Antarctica.
The reading had been taken as a part of a research project which is 20 years old and is on the climate change’s impact on the permafrost of the area. The previous record was in the 19s.
It will not be fair to simply anticipate Climate Change in future as it is just a data point and a signal to something different taking place over that region. Still, the fact remains that such high temperature has not been recorded in the region before.
Sea level rise is being driven by ever increasing melt-off from ice sheets and glaciers. This is posing to be a threat to many megacities situated in the coastal regions as well as small small island nations.
This record temperature came just about a week after the hottest day was recorded for Argentine Antarctica at 18.3 degrees Celsius at midday at the Esperanza base, which is situated near the Antarctic peninsula tip. Previous record was 17.5 degrees which was recorded on March 24, 2015.
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