July In Antarctica Was Another Colder-Than-Average Month
Antarctica’s provisional average temperature for July is in, and as expected, it was a cold month across the bottom of the world.
The South Pole Station logged an average temperature of -61.2C (-78.2F) last month, which is a full -1C below the 1991-2020 baseline and some -1.4C below the 1981-2010 average–a further indication that the Antarctic continent has actually been COOLING in recent decades.
Record Chills In Madagascar
July saw unusually cool temperatures across the island nation of Madagascar, even in its coastal areas.
Record or near-record lows have hit throughout the month, including the 15.8C (60.4F) in Diego Suarez; the 14.9C (58.8F) in Nosy Be; Majung’s 15.6C (60.1F); and Fort Dauphin’s 13C (55.4F).
“Here in Madagascar, they are having an unusually cold, long winter — with temperatures below 10 degrees (Celsius) at night and no heating or insulation. People aren’t equipped for this and are really struggling to stay warm,” said former BBC journalist and current Communications Lead at the WHO-hosted global COVID-19 access initiative, Charlotte Baker, who, I’ll add, is keen to blame Madagascar’s extreme cold on ‘global warming’–well what else would you expect given those credentials?
Heavy Snow Closes New Zealand Roads
Heavy snow has closed roads and knocked the power out across parts of New Zealand’s South Island.
The Canterbury high country and alpine passes were among the snowiest locales.
Mt Dobson skifield was forced to close on Sunday after an additional 12cm (4.7 inches) of powder landed overnight.
While Mt Hutt ski area manager James McKenzie said an impressive 40cm (1.3ft) had accumulated Saturday night, and that he planned to open the slopes Sunday–so long as the access road could be cleared.
Hanmer Springs received an extra 15cm (5.9 inches), which was enough to bring about the closure of State Highway 7 through the Lewis Pass from the Hanmer turn off to Springs Junction.
The SH73 from Arthur’s Pass to Porters Pass between Springfield to Otira is also closed, reports stuff.co.nz.
Households in Wellington suffered power outages on Sunday as the air temperature dropped close to freezing.
While in Mt Lyford, the heavy, record-challenging snow has brought the alpine village to a standstill.
Snow in brings Mt Lyford to a standstill.
Mt Lyford Sunday morning [Tess Simpson].
Two climbers “miraculously” survived after being buried by an avalanche atop The Remarkables mountain range in Queenstown, reports wionews.com.
The avalanche measured 70m (230ft) across and carried the pair some 20m (65ft) down the mountain, partially burying them. After digging themselves out, they contacted the emergency services, but the first two rescue attempts failed due the helicopter having to contend with an fierce blizzard.
The pair, both in their 20s, survived by building a snow cave and eating muesli bars until help finally arrived.
Officials rescue two men stuck in avalanche [NZ Police].
The crew of the International Space Station were treated to incredible views of Aotearoa on Monday morning as the skies cleared to show off the Southern Alps under freshly fallen snow.
The situation has been exceptionally frosty in Australia, too — a nation enduring a historically cold and snowy start to winter
And while a brief warm-up is on the cards during the first few days of August, Antarctic air looks set to return shortly thereafter:
Accompanying this season’s record-breaking and persistent chills has been impressive accumulations of snow, across both Australia and New Zealand, too.
This is visualized in the below GMASI Australia/NZ Snow Extent chart, which shows 2022 (red line) is tracking above the majority of recent years:
Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai’s record-high eruption of Jan 15 is likely COOLING the Southern Hemisphere, seeing it endure something of a ‘volcanic winter’.
