CLIMATOLOGY 



So far as temperature is concerned, there is not much 

 doubt as to which is the more comfortable region. As 

 regards fall of temperature with height, the balloons 

 sent up in 191 1 show us that in summer the figure is 

 about 6.8° C. per kilometer, which is much the same as 

 in Europe and America. 



The rise in temperature consequent on a blizzard 

 is well shown in the records of September i6th and 

 17th, 191 1. Before the blizzard the air was calm, the 

 temperature —35° F. At 8 a.m. the sky began to 

 cloud over and radiation was cut off, so that the tem- 

 perature began to rise a little at once. It had risen to 

 — 15° F. before the blizzard began, w^hen all the cold 

 air w^as removed, and the air temperature jumped some 

 20° to + 5° F. As the blizzard dropped the tempera- 

 ture fell to —12° F. Such a fall is usual in these cases. 



The low summer temperatures recorded in Antarctica 

 were at first very unexpected. If we neglect at- 

 mospheric factors, we might expect the South Pole 

 on December 22nd to be the hottest place on earth, 

 for the earth is then nearest the sun, and solar radiation 

 is focusing on to the Pole throughout the twenty- four 

 hours. But Simpson points out that nearly all this 

 energy is lost by direct reflection from the snow, and 

 that the remainder is not sufficient to raise the tem- 

 perature of the air to freezing point, before the sun 

 reaches the solstice and the energy commences to de- 

 crease. Moreover, there are no warm winds near the 

 South Pole, which are a potent factor in warming the 

 North Pole. 



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