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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1999-2000: VUWAE 44

9 Weather

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9 Weather

1999-2000 Field season Allan Hills Weather Reports. (See note below.)

Note: Weather measurements were taken only on those days when helo visits were expected. Regular records were not kept.

Date Time (24h) Te mp °C Wind Spd (Kts) Wind Dir. Cloud Cover Cloud Ht. (m) Visibility (m) Sfc Def'n Horiz Def'n Weather
30/12/99 0830 −16 10 gust 20 S 2/8 high 6000 good good
01/12/99 0830 −17 15 gust 30 S 0/8 unlim. >10000 good good
01/12/99 2030 −18 10 gust 25 S 0/8 unlim. >10000 fair good
06/12/99 ? −12 3 gust 4 ESE 8/8 >2000 >10000 good good
12/12/99 ? −14 8 N 8/8 1700 500 poor poor light snow
13/12/99 0745 −14 4 gust 5 S 8/8 1000 1000 poor poor
13/12/99 1200 −11 2 E 5/8 2000 5000 fair fair
13/12/99 2030 −12 0 ... 5/8 1800 2000 good good
14/12/99 0700 −14 4 gust 7 NW 2/8 4000 8000 good good
14/12/99 0900 −14 10 gust 12 W 1/8 >4000 8000 good good
27/12/99 0700 −11 1 gust 4 NW 6/8 >2000 8000 good good
27/12/99 0900 −10 3 gust 5 NW 7/8 2000 >10000 fair good
28/12/99 0700 −12 8 gust 12 SW 2/8 >3000 8000 good good
28/12/99 1000 −10 10 gust 12 SW 3/8 >2000 8000 good good

The weather at Allan Hills during the 1999-2000 season did not overly hinder our party movements and decisions. Given the geological nature of our work, the only significant restricting weather condition was wind. The average wind speed over the entire field season was approximately 8-12 knots, but daily conditions fluctuated considerably about this mean, with the strongest winds exceeding 50 knots (the maximum limit readable by our anemometer). On windy days (25 knots gusting 30 knots) it became quite uncomfortable to remain standing at an outcrop for more than an hour even when wearing full ECW gear because our hands got cold. Nosewiper mitts were not useful because they were too cumbersome. During extreme weather conditions event members simply pursued tasks which were less susceptible. For the first couple of weeks the temperature was commonly −21 to −17°C. It gradually warmed to daily averages in the −12 to −8 °C range around Christmas and New Year's before slowly decreasing to −16 to −12°C by the time we left on January 21, 2000.

Particular note should be made here about weather conditions in Trudge Valley. It is windier there than Camp Valley and in its eastern half, the dominant wind direction is easterly, not southerly as it is in the rest of Allan Hills. This had a significant impact on the activities of the inhabitant(s) of Beta Camp, located there from Jan 4 − 20, 2000. This information should be passed on to subsequent parties that intend to camp in Trudge Valley.