T
ABOVE: © ISTOCK.COM, JOCREBBIN
emperatures on Seymour Island off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula peaked at 20.75 °C (69.3 °F) on February 9, The Guardian reports. Days earlier, the nearby Argentinian Esperanza Base recorded a record-setting 18.3 °C (64.94 °F), according to the World Meteorological Organization. The previous record of 17.5 °C (63.5 °F) occurred in 2015.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), an agency governed by the United Nations, keeps the official records. In order to ensure accuracy, there are strict standards regarding calibration, height, and length of service for weather stations. Weather stations are supposed to be two meters tall, while the 12-year-old station at Seymour Island sits half a meter lower. Because temperatures are higher closer to the ground, this discrepancy could prevent the reading from becoming an officially accepted WMO record.
“It is an important measurement, but it will not be recognized by WMO, because ...
