Blizz risk - HIGH

 

My first blizzard gusting up to 80 knots

 

The first complete week on station has been a mixed bag of experiences with the weather being the biggest player in this part of the world.  The week commenced with perfectly clear skies with the temperature hovering around minus 10 degrees.  This may sound cold but without any wind it is nearly t-shirt weather.  I knew something was around the corner when the BOM forecasters started to get a bit twitchy with the prospect of  change in the air.  The blizzard risk rating was to be HIGH on Wednesday and Thursday with winds expected to average around 65-70 knots.

Wednesday arrived and all on station were cautiously watching the windows and the live weather station in the mess.  Talking to the more experienced expeditioners the general rule about being outside when a blizzard is happening is that your body weight to wind speed ratio cannot exceed 1:1.  So if the wind speed gets over 75 knots it is more than likely I wont be able to walk against it.  In saying that I should be able to walk comfortably in 90 knot winds by the end of the summer down here the way the chefs provide for all of the crew.

Tonight we begin preparation for survival training which has quickly been dubbed "Survivor Antarctica".  I am led to believe the training involves hiking for about six hours using compasses, GPS and charts then camping in your own ice shelter that you have to construct out of solid blocks of ice.  I can't wait!

 

Sunset at around 10pm

Sauna and Spa to aid recovery after ski training

View from the lab.  The scientists are often found here day dreaming out the window.