When to Visit Antarctica
Antarctica can only really be visited between November and March when the weather allows access. At this time of the year, it has 24 hours of daylight. The climate of Antarctica is the coldest on the planet and in 1983, the lowest ever naturally occurring temperature of -89.2˚C was recorded on the continent. Although the majority of Antarctica (98%) is covered in ice, the continent is a desert and so the climate is very dry. This dryness is a result of the ice reflecting the sun’s light rather than absorbing it. There is very little moisture and it is considered the windiest place on earth. The mean annual temperature of Antarctica’s interior is -57˚C (-70˚F) while the coasts and the Peninsula are much warmer. There is not one month of the year where temperatures average above 0˚C (32˚F). With no permanent residents, tourists only visit during the summer months. Winter in Antarctica is characterized by darkness and immense cold with temperatures sometimes dropping to -50˚C. November is considered early summer and it is the time of year when many penguins mate. December to January brings warmer temperatures and up to twenty hours of sunshine while February to March is the late summer months. Mean summer temperatures range from -15 to -35˚C (-5 to -31˚F).
