How Cold Is It?

How cold is it in Antarctica? Right now--January--it's summer. The temps get up to the high 30s F just about every day. And with the sun up all the time, it's usually quite nice. Here's Pat fixing some field camp gear. Almost looks like a palm tree, doesn't it?

Below is Matt, my dorm's janitory, standing outside the dorm. You can see the dusty soil that we have at McMurdo station, with the sea ice and mountains in the background. Notice Matt's combination of shorts and parka. Somehow, the combination is perfect here, though I'll admit that Matt's legs are tougher than mine and I haven't gotten my shorts out yet. The fellow below got out his Hawaiian shirt for a New Year's music festival.

These, too, are music festival folks. Notice the shorts and flip-flops.

These are guys I work with--Tom, the plumbing foreman and Don, a boiler mechanic. Notice the hill in the background--no snow--and the glorious blue sky.