Reconstructed Byrd temperature record (1957-2022)
This project has been supported by the National Science Foundation through grants ATM-0751291, PLR-1049089, and PLR-1341695.
IMPORTANT NOTE (2013/09/06): The 1957-1979 portion of this dataset was revised in September 2013 following our discovery of previously unused detailed observations from Byrd Station on the website of the National Climatic Data Center. The original dataset is still available here.
This webpage provides the near-surface temperature dataset from Byrd Station, in central West Antarctica, used by Bromwich et al. in the 2013 Nature Geoscience article entitled Central West Antarctica among the most rapidly warming regions on Earth. A detailed description of the methods used to fill in the gaps in the temperature record can be found in the Methods section of the paper and in its Supplementary Information.
The revision mentioned above in the 'Important Note' is described in a Corrigendum published in the January 2014 issue of Nature Geoscience. This corrigendum is accompanied by a Supplementary Information describing in detail what we learned from the newly-discovered 6-hourly temperature observations from 1957-1975, how/why we corrected the original monthly mean temperatures from this period, and what impacts these corrections had on the results presented in the original paper. As we underscore at the end of the corrigendum, '' the main finding of the study, namely that the total annual temperature increase at Byrd between 1958 and 2010 still ranks among the fastest warming rates on Earth, remains valid.''
In the two tables below, the monthly and seasonal mean temperatures are color-coded according to the infilling technique:
The revision mentioned above in the 'Important Note' is described in a Corrigendum published in the January 2014 issue of Nature Geoscience. This corrigendum is accompanied by a Supplementary Information describing in detail what we learned from the newly-discovered 6-hourly temperature observations from 1957-1975, how/why we corrected the original monthly mean temperatures from this period, and what impacts these corrections had on the results presented in the original paper. As we underscore at the end of the corrigendum, '' the main finding of the study, namely that the total annual temperature increase at Byrd between 1958 and 2010 still ranks among the fastest warming rates on Earth, remains valid.''
In the two tables below, the monthly and seasonal mean temperatures are color-coded according to the infilling technique:
- black: no infilling (observations available).
- magenta: Used for Jan. 1957 only. The first 9 days of the month are filled in with the average daily temperatures of the first 9 days of January during 1958-1970.
- green: combination of (i) adjusted 2m temperatures from the NCEP-NCAR and ERA-40 reanalyses and (ii) spatial interpolation of temperature observations from other Antarctic stations.
- red: adjusted 2m temperatures from ERA-Interim ("main method").
- blue: adjusted 2m temperatures from ERA-Interim ("alternative method").
- For 1957-1975, the 6-hourly data are taken from the Integrated Surface Hourly Data set (DS 3505), and the daily minima/maxima are taken from the Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily Data Set (GHCN-Daily).
- From 1980 onward (the Byrd AWS era), the observations are originally from the Antarctic Meteorological Research Center (AMRC) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, responsible for running the Antarctic AWS Program. For our dataset, we use the monthly mean temperatures computed by the Antarctic READER project from the observations provided by the AMRC.
Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1957 | -15.1 | -20.9 | -30.1 | -35.5 | -36.5 | -33.3 | -40.8 | -29.2 | -30.4 | -26.7 | -20.6 | -12.2 |
1958 | -14.8 | -15.0 | -28.3 | -30.9 | -27.2 | -40.8 | -40.6 | -41.7 | -40.4 | -30.2 | -21.4 | -17.5 |
1959 | -18.2 | -18.1 | -25.1 | -23.1 | -33.5 | -33.1 | -33.8 | -38.5 | -35.4 | -33.8 | -22.9 | -14.8 |
1960 | -15.5 | -23.7 | -31.2 | -30.2 | -32.8 | -30.5 | -34.0 | -40.3 | -34.2 | -27.2 | -24.5 | -14.9 |
1961 | -12.9 | -19.0 | -29.1 | -24.2 | -36.2 | -34.2 | -35.4 | -36.6 | -33.1 | -36.6 | -21.8 | -15.9 |
1962 | -15.1 | -23.3 | -28.2 | -36.5 | -29.5 | -40.2 | -35.3 | -35.0 | -43.2 | -32.7 | -21.6 | -15.2 |
1963 | -14.4 | -20.5 | -30.6 | -29.8 | -33.8 | -28.3 | -39.7 | -35.4 | -36.6 | -26.9 | -18.7 | -16.6 |
1964 | -16.8 | -21.9 | -24.7 | -30.2 | -30.3 | -32.2 | -31.8 | -40.6 | -34.8 | -30.7 | -19.4 | -14.2 |
1965 | -13.9 | -18.6 | -28.3 | -26.9 | -37.7 | -34.5 | -30.0 | -32.5 | -38.6 | -28.0 | -18.5 | -12.7 |
1966 | -14.4 | -17.4 | -25.5 | -26.0 | -34.0 | -28.7 | -34.5 | -39.8 | -34.4 | -30.5 | -19.7 | -13.2 |
1967 | -12.9 | -14.7 | -25.6 | -33.7 | -27.6 | -32.0 | -38.6 | -31.3 | -37.6 | -33.6 | -22.8 | -13.7 |
1968 | -13.3 | -16.3 | -24.5 | -28.9 | -36.3 | -41.6 | -36.5 | -38.7 | -42.7 | -29.6 | -20.8 | -14.6 |
1969 | -14.8 | -22.6 | -24.1 | -33.1 | -30.5 | -38.1 | -33.5 | -37.4 | -33.4 | -30.3 | -23.1 | -13.9 |
1970 | -11.6 | -22.4 | -21.6 | -26.1 | -35.0 | -30.1 | -33.9 | -33.8 | -35.3 | -26.3 | -22.3 | -13.3 |
1971 | -12.5 | -20.0 | -26.5 | -29.8 | -29.4 | -35.3 | -39.6 | -37.4 | -34.4 | -30.6 | -22.0 | -14.9 |
1972 | -16.5 | -17.7 | -24.1 | -28.7 | -30.3 | -30.4 | -33.7 | -32.8 | -33.8 | -26.2 | -19.7 | -14.6 |
1973 | -10.8 | -23.5 | -29.7 | -31.4 | -28.1 | -31.9 | -34.2 | -34.9 | -33.7 | -26.9 | -18.0 | -13.7 |
1974 | -11.9 | -20.1 | -25.6 | -29.6 | -30.6 | -32.0 | -38.8 | -35.1 | -40.3 | -29.5 | -16.6 | -13.2 |
1975 | -14.7 | -19.8 | -27.1 | -28.9 | -32.2 | -32.1 | -34.6 | -39.6 | -35.3 | -30.1 | -20.1 | -14.8 |
1976 | -12.2 | -20.3 | -24.0 | -32.3 | -34.8 | -35.5 | -35.1 | -40.4 | -40.5 | -35.9 | -19.4 | -13.2 |
1977 | -12.3 | -23.0 | -26.1 | -31.5 | -36.0 | -33.5 | -34.9 | -37.0 | -39.8 | -30.4 | -19.3 | -14.6 |
1978 | -16.2 | -22.0 | -23.6 | -30.6 | -32.6 | -34.3 | -38.2 | -43.7 | -37.5 | -30.2 | -19.4 | -14.8 |
1979 | -13.6 | -21.8 | -27.6 | -35.4 | -29.6 | -32.0 | -37.9 | -40.9 | -32.0 | -29.0 | -20.6 | -12.5 |
1980 | -12.5 | -16.0 | -24.8 | -21.9 | -26.0 | -35.0 | -25.8 | -28.9 | -34.5 | -27.6 | -22.4 | -14.8 |
1981 | -15.1 | -23.1 | -23.9 | -31.4 | -32.1 | -30.0 | -35.8 | -43.0 | -35.2 | -28.9 | -23.1 | -14.7 |
1982 | -13.7 | -20.0 | -29.9 | -38.8 | -35.8 | -30.5 | -36.6 | -31.8 | -36.3 | -30.0 | -21.7 | -13.1 |
1983 | -15.1 | -26.5 | -27.9 | -28.4 | -29.5 | -39.6 | -40.0 | -42.5 | -34.1 | -31.1 | -22.9 | -15.7 |
1984 | -15.3 | -19.5 | -21.6 | -27.6 | -29.7 | -28.9 | -40.1 | -39.2 | -36.8 | -25.3 | -20.2 | -12.8 |
1985 | -13.6 | -23.0 | -27.3 | -28.5 | -29.4 | -30.3 | -41.4 | -39.1 | -33.4 | -29.1 | -16.3 | -15.7 |
1986 | -14.8 | -19.8 | -27.8 | -27.6 | -27.0 | -36.9 | -36.4 | -40.6 | -44.7 | -29.8 | -20.8 | -14.3 |
1987 | -13.8 | -19.1 | -32.9 | -32.9 | -31.3 | -28.8 | -28.3 | -32.1 | -34.2 | -28.4 | -23.5 | -14.0 |
1988 | -13.6 | -20.7 | -29.0 | -26.2 | -32.0 | -34.4 | -30.5 | -25.9 | -28.6 | -25.8 | -20.1 | -12.8 |
1989 | -13.2 | -18.8 | -24.8 | -24.6 | -35.8 | -38.5 | -35.4 | -30.6 | -35.2 | -27.2 | -20.2 | -13.6 |
1990 | -12.5 | -20.1 | -32.3 | -29.7 | -27.6 | -38.6 | -36.5 | -40.3 | -30.4 | -32.8 | -22.5 | -13.5 |
1991 | -15.2 | -15.8 | -29.1 | -28.4 | -30.1 | -32.1 | -35.6 | -37.6 | -31.2 | -25.9 | -20.4 | -11.0 |
1992 | -14.6 | -22.5 | -22.8 | -28.7 | -24.0 | -32.4 | -29.6 | -34.1 | -33.8 | -23.9 | -20.7 | -12.8 |
1993 | -12.6 | -18.1 | -27.6 | -29.2 | -32.1 | -29.0 | -26.2 | -30.6 | -34.2 | -28.5 | -20.6 | -13.9 |
1994 | -15.1 | -21.9 | -29.6 | -25.9 | -29.9 | -31.7 | -33.0 | -38.9 | -36.5 | -25.4 | -16.9 | -11.8 |
1995 | -14.1 | -16.8 | -29.4 | -29.2 | -35.7 | -26.5 | -35.1 | -34.6 | -32.5 | -31.1 | -21.4 | -13.9 |
1996 | -13.8 | -20.8 | -26.7 | -22.4 | -38.0 | -30.9 | -38.2 | -32.0 | -34.9 | -29.8 | -19.2 | -12.5 |
1997 | -13.0 | -20.1 | -26.8 | -33.0 | -34.0 | -28.6 | -34.6 | -38.8 | -33.4 | -23.8 | -18.2 | -10.5 |
1998 | -13.5 | -15.6 | -27.1 | -33.0 | -24.0 | -25.8 | -40.1 | -34.6 | -35.7 | -32.0 | -22.5 | -14.5 |
1999 | -12.7 | -22.1 | -26.2 | -33.6 | -32.8 | -34.4 | -31.0 | -37.8 | -28.6 | -24.5 | -18.6 | -14.3 |
2000 | -16.9 | -19.1 | -21.9 | -33.8 | -29.3 | -30.0 | -29.3 | -34.1 | -30.8 | -24.8 | -16.7 | -15.3 |
2001 | -14.5 | -18.0 | -22.9 | -25.9 | -27.8 | -28.8 | -32.7 | -41.4 | -33.6 | -30.1 | -21.4 | -15.1 |
2002 | -13.4 | -20.2 | -19.9 | -30.8 | -26.8 | -30.2 | -36.6 | -33.9 | -24.5 | -27.1 | -15.9 | -14.3 |
2003 | -12.2 | -19.9 | -22.5 | -28.3 | -31.5 | -33.1 | -36.0 | -36.3 | -33.8 | -26.6 | -20.7 | -13.1 |
2004 | -13.7 | -21.0 | -28.1 | -29.7 | -34.2 | -32.2 | -40.4 | -41.5 | -37.5 | -30.2 | -19.4 | -14.2 |
2005 | -9.7 | -23.0 | -28.3 | -31.8 | -30.3 | -30.1 | -30.7 | -36.6 | -26.0 | -25.2 | -17.9 | -12.6 |
2006 | -11.7 | -15.3 | -28.9 | -35.8 | -37.2 | -31.7 | -36.5 | -29.6 | -33.7 | -26.1 | -19.2 | -14.4 |
2007 | -10.4 | -19.7 | -22.5 | -25.9 | -27.0 | -29.4 | -29.5 | -37.0 | -32.5 | -31.5 | -18.3 | -14.1 |
2008 | -12.3 | -19.8 | -23.0 | -29.3 | -32.0 | -30.1 | -34.9 | -41.2 | -27.9 | -25.0 | -22.4 | -15.9 |
2009 | -14.4 | -20.9 | -24.5 | -28.2 | -32.9 | -34.1 | -26.9 | -33.5 | -35.9 | -30.8 | -16.8 | -12.2 |
2010 | -14.1 | -18.5 | -22.2 | -29.8 | -35.7 | -35.9 | -40.4 | -31.4 | -33.4 | -28.2 | -22.5 | -14.9 |
2011 | -15.3 | -21.8 | -26.0 | -30.3 | -31.6 | -33.8 | -23.4 | -29.2 | -38.4 | -26.2 | -20.1 | -14.8 |
2012 | -15.4 | -18.9 | -24.1 | -29.8 | -26.7 | -37.3 | -37.0 | -36.4 | -33.7 | -27.1 | -22.0 | -11.7 |
2013 | -12.4 | -19.8 | -21.7 | -36.5 | -33.0 | -40.1 | -38.3 | -33.6 | -33.9 | -28.4 | -23.7 | -13.3 |
2014 | -14.1 | -21.4 | -28.1 | -31.5 | -26.6 | -33.0 | -38.3 | -29.4 | -25.8 | -25.1 | -24.6 | -17.9 |
2015 | -13.2 | -17.3 | -27.8 | -36.9 | -27.6 | -36.2 | -38.3 | -42.5 | -32.4 | -25.9 | -23.0 | -15.5 |
2016 | -12.2 | -22.8 | -30.7 | -31.4 | -29.8 | -34.4 | -31.8 | -33.9 | -37.4 | -24.8 | -20.9 | -12.9 |
2017 | -15.0 | -17.4 | -24.1 | -24.3 | -28.1 | -31.7 | -39.2 | -34.7 | -42.6 | -28.4 | -22.5 | -16.1 |
2018 | -15.5 | -20.5 | -26.0 | -30.3 | -34.9 | -36.1 | -32.6 | -40.1 | -35.9 | -24.0 | -20.2 | -14.9 |
2019 | -13.6 | -18.3 | -26.2 | -31.0 | -33.6 | -29.8 | -31.7 | -31.1 | -30.6 | -29.5 | -20.9 | -13.2 |
2020 | -15.1 | -15.8 | -28.4 | -31.3 | -26.1 | -35.2 | -30.5 | -35.9 | -33.6 | -29.8 | -24.0 | -16.4 |
2021 | -15.7 | -21.9 | -30.4 | -35.4 | -30.6 | -29.7 | -30.5 | -39.8 | -35.5 | -28.9 | -20.6 | -16.5 |
2022 | -16.1 | -19.1 | -25.5 | -29.1 | -29.0 | -35.0 | -30.4 | -32.1 | -32.7 | -31.6 | -23.5 | -13.1 |
2023 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |