Its COLD Down Under in Antarctica

Here is a surface station plot from Antarctica yesterday (July 23, 2023). The temperature is plotted to the upper left of the locator circle or square. If the location is marked by a circle then the observation is augmented by human observers. Stations marked by a square are completely automated.

Notice the temperatures. The warmest readings are near the coast. The coldest readings are in the interior of the continent. The coldest temperature is -112 Fahrenheit. It is warmer near the coast because the stations are nearest water which always moderates temperatures either warmer or colder depending on the season. In winter (it is winter now now in Antarctica) open water would moderate temperatures warmer at nearby weather stations. The continent would be colder. Stations in interior in high mountain valleys or plateaus will be much colder. You can see temperatures of -48, -83, and -85 in the interior with -77 at Amundsen-Scott Station (USA) at the South Pole and -39 closer to the Weddell Sea to its left. Temperatures at two stations near the coast on the lower right are -30 at the USA McMerdo Station and -29 at another human augmented weather station. These stations have ice covered water at the Ross Ice Shelf.

Notice the temperatures that are above freezing along the Antarctica Peninsula at the lower left. Those stations are located near open water.

Map plotted using digital atmosphere software available at www.weathergraphics.com.