By Melanie Gosling and Leanne Raymond
Two groups of South Africans shivered in icy temperatures on Monday - one at the country's research base in the Antarctic and the other in the tiny Karoo town of Sutherland.
While one expects temperatures to be way below freezing in the Antarctic winter, most South Africans don't expect to find themselves experiencing temperatures only one degree warmer than their countrymen down on the icy continent.
The minimum temperature at the notoriously cold Sutherland measured an icy -15°C on Monday night, while at the South African National Antarctic Expedition (Sanae) base in Antarctica, the maximum temperature measured on the same day was -16°C.
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Monday's temperature in Sutherland was only three degrees warmer than the coldest temperature yet measured in South Africa, which was minus 18°C in the Eastern Cape town of Buffelsfontein near Molteno in 1996.
Residents of Sutherland would not be surprised to hear of the similarities between their town and the Polar base. It was evident from the frozen taps, dripping icicles and red noses.
Sutherland resident Annatjie van Zyl said that they were used to the cold and slept under a duvet and two blankets, "but on Monday we had to add an extra blanket".
She said that during the night frost had settled on the backs of the sheep, making them snow white.
Resident Mariana Bernardo, who takes the measurements for the South African Weather Service, said the day did not warm up much, reaching a high of only 4,9°C. They only got water again at 2.30pm on Tuesday when the pipes thawed out.
"It looked as if someone had thrown flour all over the place. Everything was coated in frost. There were icicles where taps had been dripping, and hanging from roofs. Everywhere the puddles had iced over - it looked beautiful."
Meanwhile, at the Sanae base, South Africa meteorologist Shadrack Podile said that he knew about the cold temperatures in Sutherland. "I read about it on the online news," he said.
The Antarctic is, however, having a relatively "warm" spell. On Monday night, he said the Antarctic base measured a minimum of -22,2°C.
And on Wednesday, the minimum at the base was right up to -14,5°C, warming up to a maximum of -13,1°C. The average temperature at the base for this time of year is -29°C, while the minimum on the same day last year was -30°C.
But although the mercury is up in the Antarctic, the howling wind of 53 knots means there is a wind chill factor of -38°C.
"We haven't been able to go outside for a week because the winds are so strong. If the wind picks you up, you're history," Podile said.
The team at the base was also experiencing permanent "night" at this time of the year.
"It's dark all the time, except between 10am and noon, when there's a glow on the horizon," he said.
According to the SA Weather Service, Sutherland will have a minimum of -4°C and a maximum of 12°C on Thursday, while Friday's minimum will be -9°C with a maximum of 14°C.
On Friday in Cape Town the minimum will be 12°C and the maximum 15°C, with a fresh southerly wind and 30 percent chance of morning showers.
On Saturday there will be fine weather with a minimum of 10°C and a maximum of 17°C.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of Cape Times on June 30, 2005
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