Skip to content
  • Home
    • Overview
      • Overview
      • Penguins
      • Seals & sea lions
      • Whales
      • Fish
      • Flying birds
      • Krill
      • Land invertebrates
      • Salps
      • Seabed (benthic) communities
      • Sponges
      • Squid
      • Adapting to the cold
      • Overview
      • Lichens
      • Mosses & liverworts
      • Algae
      • Snow algae
      • Kelp
      • Casey: the Daintree of Antarctica
      • Microscopic organisms
      • Overview
      • Human impacts in Antarctica
      • State of the Environment
      • Environment policy & management
      • Environmental Impact Assessment approvals
      • Pollution & waste
      • Plants & animals
      • Protecting & managing special areas
      • Overview
      • Australia and the Antarctic Treaty System
      • History of the Antarctic Treaty
      • The Madrid Protocol
      • Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources
      • Overview
      • Atmosphere
      • Sea ice
      • Ice sheets
      • Overview
      • Weather
      • Climate change
      • Overview
      • Geography
      • Geology
      • Overview
      • Books for older readers
      • Books for younger readers
      • Overview
      • Australian Antarctic Territory
      • Australian law
      • Australian Antarctic Medal
      • Antarctic place names
      • Overview
      • Exploration and expeditions
      • Pioneers in Antarctica
      • History of Australian Antarctic stations
      • Antarctica’s cultural heritage
      • Transportation
      • Communications
      • Overview
      • Who owns Antarctica?
      • Why live in Antarctica?
      • How many people?
      • Clothing
      • Food
      • Water
      • Recreation
      • Health
      • Cold
      • Igloos
      • Overview
      • Frequently asked questions
      • Visitor guidelines
      • Site use guidelines
      • Australian policy
    • Overview
    • Meet our scientists
      • Overview
      • Information for scientists
      • Australian Antarctic Science Council
      • Overview
      • Past climate
      • Atmosphere
      • Sea ice and oceans
      • Ice sheets and sea level rise
      • Overview
      • Environmental remediation & restoration
      • Biodiversity conservation
      • Overview
      • Southern Ocean fisheries
      • Wildlife management
      • Southern Ocean ecosystems
      • Overview
      • Scientific observatories
      • Human biology and medicine
      • Scientific equipment
      • Overview
      • Kingston laboratories
      • Casey laboratories
      • Davis laboratories
      • Mawson laboratories
      • Macquarie Island laboratories
    • Overview
      • Overview
      • Casey
      • Davis
      • Macquarie Island
      • Mawson
      • Amenities & operations
      • Other locations
      • Overview
      • What happens before departure & on arrival at station
      • Field operating areas
      • Communications in the field
      • Field rations
      • Environmental protection
      • Tents, shelters & huts
      • Field travel & fuel management
      • Waste management
      • Overview
      • Training contacts
      • Field training in Antarctica
      • Vehicle & equipment training
      • Overview
      • Forms expeditioners must sign
      • Expeditioner Handbook
      • Biosecurity protocol for projects
      • Preparing to leave for Antarctica
      • Liaison & support services
      • Overview
      • Shipping & flight schedules
      • Cargo (freight)
      • Aviation
      • Ships
      • Small watercraft
      • Ground transport
      • Navigation
      • Fuel management
      • Overview
      • Contacting expeditioners
      • Support for family & friends
      • Message for family and friends of expeditioners
      • Getting to know Antarctica
      • Overview
      • Casey webcam
      • Davis webcam
      • Macquarie Island webcam
      • Mawson webcam
      • Nuyina icebreaker construction timelapse
      • Krill cam
      • Questions & answers
    • Overview
      • Overview
      • Ice Nomads
      • Krill matters
      • Overview
      • Casey
      • Davis
      • Macquarie Island
      • Mawson
    • Media Program
    • Podcasts
    • Antarctic Insider
    • Overview
    • Video gallery
    • Photo galleries
    • Sounds of Antarctica
    • Breaking the Ice
    • Travelling South
    • Overview
      • Overview
      • Related organisations
    • Contact us
    • Library
      • Overview
      • The Press Report
      • Classification of scientific publications
      • Overview
      • How & when to apply
      • Alumni
    • Partnerships with us
      • Overview
      • Purchasing and contracts
      • Approach To Market
      • Disposals
      • Overview
      • Antarctic Strategy and Action Plan: Prime Minister’s Foreword
      • Australian Antarctic Strategy
      • 20 Year Action Plan
  • Jobs

Keep in touch

  • Follow us on Facebook @AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on Twitter @AusAntarctic @AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on Instagram /AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on LinkedIn @AusAntarctic @AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on YouTube /AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Subscribe to our RSS feed RSS feed
Follow us on Facebook @AusAntarcticFollow us on Twitter @AusAntarcticFollow us on Instagram /AusAntarcticFollow us on LinkedIn @AusAntarcticFollow us on YouTube /AusAntarcticSubscribe to our RSS feed
Australian Government – Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Australian Antarctic Division | Australian Antarctic Program
Follow us on Facebook @AusAntarcticFollow us on Twitter @AusAntarcticFollow us on Instagram /AusAntarcticFollow us on LinkedIn @AusAntarcticFollow us on YouTube /AusAntarctic
Antarctica – valued, protected and understood
  • Home
  • About Antarctica
  • Scientific research
  • Antarctic operations
  • News and media
  • Galleries
  • About us
  • Jobs
Clouds above an icy landscape.Clouds above an icy landscape.
Cloud formation Photo: Ian Phillips

Weather and climate

Home > About Antarctica > Weather and climate
Weather
Antarctica is the coldest, windiest and driest continent on Earth.
Climate change
Antarctica and its ocean are dominated by snow and ice. These provide major feedback to the global climate system.
This content was last updated 1 year ago on 3 March 2020.

See more About Antarctica

Animals
Plants and microbes
Environmental management
Antarctic Treaty
Ice and atmosphere
Geography and geology
Education resources
Australia in Antarctica
History
People in Antarctica
Tourism
Australian Government – Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment: Australian Antarctic Division | Australian Antarctic Program

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

Australian Antarctic Division

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

  • About Antarctica
  • Science
  • Antarctic operations
  • News and media
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Jobs
  • Shipping and flight schedules
  • Data Centre
  • Webcams
  • Disclaimer and copyright

Keep in touch

  • Follow us on Facebook @AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on Twitter @AusAntarctic @AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on Instagram /AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on LinkedIn @AusAntarctic @AusAntarctic
  • Follow us on YouTube /AusAntarctic /AusAntarctic
  • Subscribe to our RSS feed RSS feed
Follow us on Facebook @AusAntarcticFollow us on Twitter @AusAntarcticFollow us on Instagram /AusAntarcticFollow us on LinkedIn @AusAntarcticFollow us on YouTube /AusAntarcticSubscribe to our RSS feed