Antarctica has just seen a ground-breaking temperature, as temperatures have soared above 20C on the continent for the first time on record ever.
This is the second time within about a week that high temperature records have been broken in Antarctica. On the 7th of February 2020, it was reported that Antarctica had recorded its highest temperature ever: the record temperature on the 7th of February was 18.3C. Now, just several days later, it has been reported that the record hottest temperature for Antarctica has been set again, this time - Antarctica reported that the record-breaking temperature recorded on Antarctica was 20.75C.
What Is The Usual Temperatures For Antarctica?
These two record temperatures broken in Antarctica recently are very abnormal: temperatures in Antarctica are usually well below zero. In February in the South Pole, temperatures are usually between -38 and -43C. Therefore, these recent records recorded within Antarctica are well above the normal temperatures that Antarctica is supposed to be experiencing at this time of the year. Antarctica itself is and is supposed to be, the coldest continent on the planet today. However, with climate change, perhaps that will become a thing of the past and Antarctica may become a place that is far from the icy-cold landscape we know of today.
What Is The Consequences Of A Warming Continent?
Rising temperatures in Antarctica means that more ice could break off of the continent. This would likely result in sea level rises around the world.
A new report published on the 14th of February 2020 called: ''The Antarctica Factor: Model Uncertainties Reveal Upcoming Sea Risk,'' found that sea levels could rise as much as three times this century, compared to the rate that sea levels raised last century. In other words, due to changes in the earths climate, sea level rises around the world could be much greater this century compared to the last century if we don't stop climate change.
Another consequence of melting sea ice in Antarctica caused by climate change is how those temperature increases on the continent affects the animals that live there. Animals like Penguins could be badly affected by melting sea ice in Antarctica. This is because their main food source - krill, depend on sea ice to survive. Therefore, if sea ice disappears, then Krill will most likely disappear: which will also mean that Penguins are likely to disappear. Therefore, Penguins could become extinct due to a changing climate on Antarctica.
Krill are small crustaceans that are found in the worlds oceans; animals like Penguins feed off of the Krill and depend on them for their survival. We have already seen a massive decline in the Krill population since the 1970's: the Krill population has declined by an astounding 80% since the 1970's because of things like climate change. Penguins have also been declining about the same amount over nearly four decades: some species of the Penguin population have declined by around a staggering 90% within last 35 years; the King Penguin species has decline around 90% in just 35 years, that means that their population has declined from about half a million Penguins to just around 60,000 Penguins now.
King Penguins rely less on eating Krill than other Penguin species, as King Penguins prefer to eat other small fish, but it seems likely that a decline in Krill and perhaps other small fish has factored into why King Penguins have declined so much in just a few small decades.
A warming continent in Antarctica will and is affecting animals that live there, it will also likely raise sea levels and raise temperatures around the world.