Antarctica feels the heat in June as temperature soars 20 degrees Celsius above normal

Antarctica is in the grips of a heatwave as scientists recorded temperatures as high as 15.4 degrees Celsius on June 6. Guardian reported that the occurrence was witnessed by researchers stationed on the Trinity Peninsula. Climate professor at the University of Groningen, Raúl Cordero, told the outlet, "It is also about 20 degrees Celsius above normal for this time of the year. That is a huge anomaly." The phenomenon was recorded by Chilean glaciologist Luis Muñoz and his colleague. He said that after they climbed to the top of the Collins glacier, they noticed that the temperatures were so high that "everything outside melted." Muñoz said that at this time, there is typically 20 cm of snow and a lot of ice on the ground. But they came across rain and precipitation warm enough to melt the surface ice.

Also Read: Ice shelf the size of Indian capital city Delhi will detach from 'Doomsday Glacier' in 2026

This comes as Super El Niño took hold of Earth this year, which is expected to be one of the worst in over 150 years. NASA satellites spotted signs of the coming weather phenomenon and confirmed that it is certain to happen. Nadya Vinogradova Shiffer, scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington, said, "Sentinel–6 Michael Freilich can track massive Kelvin waves as they cross the Pacific, capture changes in Earth's ocean thermodynamics, improve forecasts of weather extremes, and help communities prepare for potential coastal hazards." Before the American space agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) also warned that the world needs to be prepared. "The science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90% certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is," it said in a statement.

Also Read: NASA satellite spots strongest sign of Super El Nino, confirming all predictions - What to expect?

Around June 12, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that El Niño has formed. “El Niño has developed in the tropical Pacific" and "is predicted to intensify to a moderate or strong level this fall." NOAA said in a statement, "There is a 63 per cent chance that the sea surface temperatures in the eastern Central Pacific will exceed 2 degrees Celsius above the neutral threshold", and if this happens it would be considered “a very strong El Niño.”

Thwaites ‘Doomsday’ Glacier will lose its ice shelf this year

In Antarctica, the Thwaites Glacier will lose its ice shelf this year. A report by New Scientist stated that satellite images show the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf (TEIS) will soon separate from the glacier. Thwaites, also known as the Doomsday Glacier, is the largest glacier in West Antarctica. It is about 120 kilometres wide and more than 6,500 feet wide in some places. According to a March 2026 study, it will lose 180 billion to 200 billion tons of ice per year by 2067.