Weekly snapshot #17

It's not just me with my comparisons to Pole--people who have spent many winters here have been talking about how weirdly mild this winter has been. Except for a few times when I knew I was going to be outside for a prolonged period, going from building to building around here is a casual affair--I just put on my light boots and a parka and hat, much like I'd do in a Wisconsin winter. None of the five-minute head-to-toe-coverage prep involved in venturing outside at Pole. Kind of crazy. The wind will get ya with grit in the eyes if you don't keep your goggles handy, but that's easy done. And if I'm jinxing myself by calling this McMurdo winter Wimpy--and I am!...it's been a Wimpy winter so far!--so be it, because I'm still itching to experience a true Antarctic storm, which so far we definitely haven't. A few days ago the temp dropped to something like -25F but I was shocked to see that temp because it definitely didn't feel that cold out. And the next day it reached +9F. Today's much the same. Just odd. At least the sun is staying below the horizon, as expected since we've just marked the winter solstice. It doesn't get darker than this, friends....