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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1976-77: VUWAE 21

C. Weather

C. Weather

Detailed meteorological observations were taken up to five times per day by various members of VUWAE 21. These were recorded in the standard NZMS Field Books, which will be returned to the NZMS. Members of the expedition will retain copies. Meteorological records from the Fry Glacier region are reproduced in Appendix 3. These latter records were transmitted daily to Scott Base who relayed them to Helo Operations at McMurdo Station.

Weather conditions in the Taylor Glacier, Cape Chocolate and Mts. Morning, Discovery and Erebus regions, were much as in previous years, although it was relatively cold early in the season. Katabatic winds blowing much of the time on Taylor Glacier made work difficult at times and caused the loss of a few days. A southerly storm on the 5th and 6th November was severe with winds gusting over 80 knots. Judging by sastrugi, strong southerly winds are a feature of Mts. Morning and Discovery although only one storm was experienced in the two weeks spent there. What seems to be almost typical Christmas weather on Mt. Erebus, southerly to easterly wind and snow, meant the loss of four days over Christmas.