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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1977-78: VUWAE 22

C. Weather

C. Weather

Detailed meteorological observations were not taken due to: (1) the lack of instruments and (2) closeness of working parties to Vanda Station and Scott Base. A record of the morning visual weather report to Scott Base was kept by Events 12 and 13.

Weather conditions on the Taylor Glacier were excellent with only one day of bad weather out of the twelve. Only moderate winds were experienced and air temperatures were around −25°C −30°C with −30°C recorded on one day at Depot Nunatak in blizzard conditions.

On leaving the Taylor Event 13 we were stranded for three days at Marble Pt together with the crew of the helicopter Gentle 15. This culminated in a return to Scott Base, so a scheduled 1 hr shift into the Wright Valley became 6 days. In the Wright and the Victoria Valleys the typical katabatic winds occasionally restricted activity but loss of time was still only one day in eight. At Lake Vida in particular, a regular wind cycle observed each day, winds generally from the East building up mid-morning and dropping soon after midnight.