|
|
|
|
McMurdo Station
Average Annual Temperature: 0°F (-18°C)
Average Summer Temperature: 46°F (8°C)
Average Winter Temperature: -58°F (-50°C)
Average Wind Speed: 12 knots
McMurdo is the main US station in Antarctica. The original station was constructed in 1955-1956 but there have been many additions and modernizations over the years. Research projects take place here year-round while it is also the primary staging ground for field work and support services for inland sites.
This coastal station is located at the southern tip of Ross Island about 2,415 miles (3,864 km) south of Christchurch, New Zealand and 850 miles (1,360 km) north of the south pole. An active volcano, Mt. Erebus, hovers nearby at a height of 12,447 feet (3,794 m). In 1901, Robert F. Scott and his crew on the Discovery spent the winter adjacent to where the station stands today; the hut he built is still there.
The winter population ranges from 150 to 170 but might exceed 1,100 during the summer. For people working at McMurdo, the station offers all the modern conveniences you might expect of a small town. Heated buildings, electrical power, telephones, televisions, and a variety of recreational facilities form the core of station life.
Take the virtual tour!
