Meteorological Observations at Syowa Station in 1998 by the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition

Abstract

This paper describes the results of meteorological observations at Syowa Station from February 1,1998 to January 31,1999,carried out by the Meteorological Observation Team of the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-39). The method of observation, instruments and statistical methods used by JARE-39 were almost the same as those used by the JARE-38 observation team. Remarkable weather phenomena observed during the period of JARE-39 were the following : 1) Changes in the weather were severe through out the year, and the surface temperature in the first half of the year was higher than average. The monthly mean temperature in March was the highest temperature on record. 2) A heavy snowstorm (blizzard) hit Syowa Station from June 3rd to 5th and recorded a maximum wind speed of 46.4m/s, with a peak gust of 54.8m/s (both the record high of June). Rough weather continued in September, and the number of blizzard days reached 17 days. 3) The large scale Antarctic ozone hole was observed for the tenth successive year, and the monthly mean total ozone amounts in September, November, December 1998 and January 1999 were recorded as the lowest in observation history for the respective months. The total ozone amount was less than 220m atm-cm indicating that the ozone hole, was observed until the middle of December, which was the latest in observation history.