Climate in Esperanza (Antarctica)

At Esperanza Base, built in 1953 and belonging to Argentina, there is a polar climate, with average temperatures around -10 °C (14 °F) in winter, from June to August, and around +1 °C (34 °F) in summer, from December to February.
The station is located on the Trinity Peninsula, the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, at a latitude of 63 degrees south (the same, on the other side of the world, as central Sweden). About 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the north, beyond the Drake Passage, lies Cape Horn, the southern tip of South America. We are in the northernmost part of the Antarctic continent, although further north there are islands, the South Shetlands to the north-west and the South Orkneys to the north-east.
The base is the only one on the Antarctic continent to host a civilian settlement, together with the Chilean Villa Las Estrellas, which however is located on the South Shetland Islands.
The average temperature ranges from -10.2 °C (13.7 °F) in June to 1.5 °C (35 °F) in January. Here are the average temperatures.

Due to the location, the climate is milder than in the rest of Antarctica, but it is also very snowy and windy. As typically happens along the coasts of Antarctica, the wind can sometimes reach hurricane force.
Even in winter there can be relatively mild periods, in which the daytime temperature can exceed freezing. The highest records are around 10 °C (50 °F) from June to August. During cold spells, on the other hand, the temperature can drop to around -30 °C (-22 °F). The cold records are around -32 °C (-25.5 °F). In July 2007, when it snowed in Buenos Aires, the average for the month was -17.8 °C (0 °F), that is, almost 8 degrees Celsius (14 °F) below normal.
In summer it often snows, however, given that during the day the temperature almost always exceeds freezing, the snow tends to melt. In addition, sometimes it can also rain.
Furthermore, there can be quite mild periods, during which the minimum remains around freezing, and the maximum reaches 8/10 °C (46/50 °F). In January 2006, the average minimum has been 0 °C (32 °F), and the maximum was 7 °C (44.5 °F). Occasionally, temperatures may even exceed 10 °C (50 °F). In February 2020 the temperature reached 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), which is the warmest record for all of Antarctica.



Precipitation is moderate, amounting to 725 millimeters (28.5 inches) per year, but is more abundant than in the rest of Antarctica (where due to the cold it is at desert level in large areas). Precipitation occurs almost all in the form of snow.
Here is the average precipitation.

The amount of sunshine at Esperanza Base is very low, approximately 1,100 hours per year. The sunniest month, relative to the hours available, is November, the last month of spring.
Here are the average sunshine hours per day.

Since Esperanza base is located north of the polar circle, polar night does not occur in winter. However, from early June to early July, the day lasts less than 5 hours, and at the winter solstice, June 21st or 22nd depending on the year, it lasts 4 and a half hours.
In summer, the sun always sets, but there are the white nights, when it doesn't get completely dark even at midnight, from November 2nd to February 9th.
At the summer solstice, December 21st or 22nd, at midday, the sun reaches 50 degrees above the horizon, which is more than double that at the South Pole.

Esperanza - Climate data

In Esperanza, the average temperature of the coldest month (June) is of -10.2 °C, that of the warmest month (January) is of 1.4 °C. Here are the average temperatures.