Monthly mean surface temperature at Vostok station


1. Dataset information

Station location: 78°27'S, 106°52'E, central ice plateau, East Antarctica.

WMO identification: 89606

Data in black are derived from the READER dataset and are calculated from 6-hourly synoptic data. Values in red before 2003 are monthly figures from CLIMAT messages. Data in red from 2003 onwards have been provided by Dr Victor Lagun of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St Petersburg; they are also believed to have been calculated from synoptic data but have not been checked by the READER team. It is possible that values in red may be updated in the future.

Go straight to the data.


2. Derived climate information

(i) Annual, seasonal and monthly temperature statistics for Vostok

These data are updated monthly. With regard to summer (DJF) the year refers to the December.

Annual/Season/Month Mean
(°C)
σ
(°C)
Min.
(°C)
q0.25
(°C)
q0.75
(°C)
Max.
(°C)
Period n
Calendar year−55.20.9−57.3−55.7−54.8−53.21958-61, 64-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2005-201147
Autumn−62.81.7−66.4−64.1−61.8−59.11958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
Winter−66.72.2−70.0−68.3−64.8−62.61958-61, 63-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201250
Spring−55.31.3−58.5−56.0−54.4−52.71958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
Summer−36.01.0−37.9−36.6−35.2−34.11958-60, 63-92, 94, 97-01, 2005-201147
January−32.01.4−35.5−33.3−31.1−29.01958-61, 64-95, 97-03, 2005-201251
February−44.31.6−47.4−45.5−43.5−39.41958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2005-201250
March−57.92.1−63.9−59.0−56.9−52.91958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
April−64.82.3−70.4−66.4−62.7−60.31958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
May−65.82.7−70.5−67.9−63.9−59.21958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
June−65.43.0−70.8−67.6−63.4−59.31958-61, 63-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201250
July−66.73.5−73.8−69.3−64.6−56.71958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
August−68.03.5−75.4−70.8−66.2−60.61958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
September−66.13.1−71.8−68.0−64.0−57.51958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
October−57.11.7−61.3−58.2−56.0−53.51958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
November−42.71.5−45.4−43.8−41.9−38.81958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
December−31.81.5−35.1−33.1−30.8−28.01958-61, 63-95, 97-02, 2004-201151
Summary of annual, seasonal and monthly Vostok surface temperature statistics

The monthly data are summarised in a PDF plot: Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from here

Vostok monthly temperature statistics: this plot shows the mean, quartiles and range for each month.



(ii) Annual, seasonal and monthly trends in the Vostok surface temperature data

The trends listed below include 95% confidence intervals. The methodology is based upon:

Santer B.D., T.M.L. Wigley, J.S. Boyle, D. J. Gaffen, J.J. Hnilo, D. Nychka, D.E. Parker and K.E. Taylor. 2000: Statistical significance of trends and trend differences in layer-average temperature time series. Journal of Geophysical Research, 105, 7337-7356.

Briefly, an effective sample size is calculated based on the lag-1 autocorrelation coefficient of the regression residuals, This effective sample size is used for the computation of the standard error and in indexing the critical values of the Student''s t distribution.

The significance level of the trend is given if it is less than 10%, 5% or 1%. With regard to summer (DJF) the year refers to the December.

Annual/Season/Month Annual trend
(°C a−1)
Significance
(%)
Period n
Calendar year+0.0169 ± 0.015651958-61, 64-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2005-201147
Autumn+0.0076 ± 0.0299-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
Winter+0.0156 ± 0.0324-1958-61, 63-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201250
Spring+0.0115 ± 0.0239-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
Summer+0.0180 ± 0.0194101958-60, 63-92, 94, 97-01, 2005-201147
January+0.0183 ± 0.0223-1958-61, 64-95, 97-03, 2005-201251
February+0.0021 ± 0.0280-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2005-201250
March+0.0108 ± 0.0349-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
April+0.0091 ± 0.0441-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
May+0.0028 ± 0.0482-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
June−0.0075 ± 0.0425-1958-61, 63-81, 83-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201250
July+0.0305 ± 0.0442-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
August+0.0240 ± 0.0586-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
September−0.0037 ± 0.0570-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
October+0.0004 ± 0.0441-1958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
November+0.0379 ± 0.018211958-61, 63-93, 95, 97-02, 2004-201251
December+0.0278 ± 0.0275101958-61, 63-95, 97-02, 2004-201151
Summary of trends in annual, seasonal and monthly Vostok surface temperature

PDF plots of the annual and seasonal data: Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from here

Calendar year Autumn (MAM) Winter (JJA) Spring (SON) Summer (DJF)


3. The dataset

        JAN    FEB    MAR    APR    MAY    JUN    JUL    AUG    SEP    OCT    NOV    DEC    ANN

1958  -30.9  -44.6  -57.0  -63.8  -62.5  -67.9  -65.3  -71.7  -66.1  -58.6  -43.2  -33.2  -55.4
1959  -34.3  -43.7  -52.9  -61.8  -64.7  -66.3  -68.4  -69.5  -68.4  -57.6  -44.5  -32.1  -55.3
1960  -33.4  -43.7  -61.8  -67.6  -67.8  -70.7  -68.3  -70.9  -66.5  -58.6  -44.8  -33.2  -57.3
1961  -32.9  -43.0  -57.7  -65.2  -65.3  -60.0  -64.1  -67.1  -62.6  -54.8  -43.4  -34.0  -54.2
1962 
1963         -45.3  -59.3  -64.3  -66.0  -65.0  -63.9  -63.7  -57.5  -58.0  -45.2  -33.4
1964  -32.4  -46.3  -61.1  -69.3  -68.8  -61.1  -66.6  -61.9  -70.4  -58.2  -42.3  -32.4  -55.9
1965  -33.6  -43.1  -58.9  -65.9  -64.1  -66.7  -69.3  -66.1  -66.9  -56.8  -44.0  -33.3  -55.7
1966  -35.5  -42.7  -54.2  -66.9  -67.2  -68.9  -67.3  -71.5  -67.8  -56.8  -42.9  -31.6  -56.1
1967  -30.4  -45.7  -54.8  -66.3  -69.2  -66.9  -67.3  -73.0  -64.6  -57.1  -41.3  -31.1  -55.6
1968  -33.3  -44.6  -57.9  -62.5  -65.0  -63.7  -71.2  -70.2  -71.5  -53.5  -42.5  -33.0  -55.7
1969  -32.6  -43.8  -59.8  -63.0  -66.8  -62.4  -69.3  -69.5  -69.8  -55.5  -43.7  -32.5  -55.7
1970  -31.8  -44.0  -55.8  -64.6  -66.1  -62.7  -67.2  -70.1  -64.1  -55.5  -44.4  -32.1  -54.9
1971  -30.1  -41.5  -58.2  -65.3  -63.5  -65.6  -69.1  -66.7  -63.3  -56.2  -43.4  -30.6  -54.5
1972  -31.1  -44.9  -57.7  -65.1  -65.8  -66.4  -68.8  -61.5  -62.5  -56.4  -43.8  -33.6  -54.8
1973  -34.1  -44.4  -59.0  -60.3  -63.6  -64.6  -68.4  -71.5  -62.7  -56.0  -40.5  -33.8  -54.9
1974  -29.4  -46.6  -62.0  -68.4  -66.8  -62.9  -66.1  -68.3  -68.7  -55.2  -41.9  -31.9  -55.7
1975  -32.1  -45.5  -56.0  -63.5  -61.7  -66.5  -69.5  -73.2  -69.9  -56.1  -42.0  -33.1  -55.8
1976  -32.4  -43.5  -58.0  -66.3  -70.5  -64.7  -62.8  -65.4  -68.1  -57.4  -42.4  -28.9  -55.0
1977  -30.0  -43.3  -57.3  -67.0  -62.5  -64.5  -64.0  -67.3  -71.1  -59.2  -45.2  -31.5  -55.2
1978  -34.5  -43.6  -58.7  -64.7  -64.5  -64.5  -63.2  -73.5  -64.3  -58.7  -41.9  -29.9  -55.2
1979  -31.9  -45.9  -60.5  -62.2  -69.4  -69.4  -72.3  -68.3  -67.7  -61.2  -43.9  -31.0  -57.0
1980  -30.0  -43.3  -54.5  -61.8  -65.3  -61.7  -64.6  -61.9  -62.9  -58.0  -42.5  -31.7  -53.2
1981  -33.2  -44.9  -56.6  -66.7  -69.5  -66.4  -63.0  -60.7  -61.4  -58.8  -44.2  -31.5  -54.7
1982  -32.6  -44.4  -63.9  -65.3  -63.7         -63.2  -72.4  -71.3  -57.3  -38.8  -31.2
1983  -31.5  -44.6  -58.0  -63.5  -60.4  -61.9  -73.8  -67.1  -60.8  -57.4  -45.4  -33.2  -54.8
1984  -32.1  -47.4  -57.2  -62.8  -61.0  -70.8  -65.5  -68.1  -63.1  -58.0  -41.8  -30.4  -54.9
1985  -31.2  -46.7  -59.7  -62.2  -68.1  -66.6  -70.4  -66.3  -66.6  -58.3  -44.7  -32.4  -56.1
1986  -30.8  -39.4  -59.1  -66.7  -66.7  -70.6  -68.0  -69.3  -66.3  -56.9  -43.0  -32.0  -55.7
1987  -31.1  -45.7  -57.0  -64.4  -66.8  -59.7  -65.8  -75.4  -67.0  -56.2  -45.0  -32.5  -55.6
1988  -31.6  -45.9  -56.2  -65.5  -63.4  -63.9  -70.6  -66.7  -65.8  -55.3  -43.2  -33.6  -55.1
1989  -34.6  -45.0  -56.8  -66.5  -68.9  -68.5  -67.3  -64.7  -61.2  -54.3  -42.6  -28.0  -54.9
1990  -30.4  -44.4  -59.2  -61.8  -66.8  -65.5  -66.2  -69.4  -66.0  -56.0  -41.2  -28.8  -54.6
1991  -32.2  -42.0  -57.3  -62.1  -68.3  -62.3  -58.6  -67.5  -67.8  -58.9  -42.9  -30.4  -54.2
1992  -32.7  -41.2  -57.3  -65.8  -66.1  -63.4  -67.8  -63.3  -67.6  -58.2  -42.1  -33.1  -54.9
1993  -30.8  -43.5  -57.3  -67.0  -68.3  -68.4  -70.6  -70.7  -68.4  -55.9  -42.5  -33.0  -56.4
1994  -31.0                                                                        -33.2
1995  -33.5  -43.6  -57.8  -65.6  -69.1  -67.6  -56.7  -67.7  -68.7  -57.6  -42.8  -31.9  -55.2
1996  
1997  -33.5  -44.8  -58.2  -64.4  -67.9  -64.1  -72.9  -71.5  -65.9  -58.0  -39.7  -30.4  -55.9
1998  -33.6  -43.9  -60.4  -68.5  -65.5  -67.2  -66.7  -67.1  -71.8  -60.3  -42.6  -31.5  -56.6
1999  -31.7  -45.2  -57.9  -70.4  -70.2  -64.6  -69.8  -67.8  -67.9  -58.7  -43.2  -35.1  -56.9
2000  -33.5  -45.2  -60.9  -65.1  -68.0  -60.0  -66.7  -66.8  -66.2  -61.3  -40.8  -30.6  -55.4
2001  -31.5  -43.3  -58.3  -63.1  -63.4  -66.9  -66.5  -69.1  -65.7  -56.4  -40.6  -30.5  -54.6
2002  -29.0  -45.7  -56.9  -61.9  -59.4  -65.9  -64.9  -71.6  -67.8  -55.7  -43.8  -34.0  -54.7
2003  -31.8
2004                -57.3  -62.5  -64.4  -65.8  -70.3  -62.4  -65.9  -56.7  -42.0  -29.5
2005  -31.4  -44.6  -56.4  -65.8  -67.3  -63.7  -63.4  -68.1  -63.2  -54.9  -42.1  -29.2  -54.2
2006  -32.7  -44.4  -58.2  -62.4  -66.2  -64.3  -66.9  -65.6  -64.2  -57.2  -43.2  -32.6  -54.8
2007  -32.6  -45.8  -56.2  -61.9  -59.2  -59.3  -64.7  -63.8  -63.9  -55.5  -42.5  -32.7  -53.2
2008  -33.3  -46.0  -54.2  -63.5  -66.7  -70.5  -65.2  -69.9  -67.8  -58.3  -40.4  -30.9  -55.6
2009  -31.1  -40.4  -57.5  -67.6  -62.9  -61.7  -59.5  -67.9  -64.2  -57.1  -40.8  -31.7  -53.5
2010  -30.2  -43.6  -55.7  -67.5  -64.7  -68.9  -69.4  -70.9  -65.3  -58.1  -43.9  -30.8  -55.8
2011  -30.6  -42.1  -57.9  -61.3  -67.8  -68.7  -61.7  -60.6  -63.9  -55.5  -40.7  -30.7  -53.5
2012  -31.6  -45.9  -58.4  -65.2  -67.6  -68.7  -69.8  -70.9  -70.0  -54.7  -40.9

4. Links

The AARI website with information about the Russian stations including Vostok.


The latest synoptic report from Vostok station.



This web page was written to look good in MS Explorer 5.0+ using character entity references from HTML 4.0. Apologies if it doesn't quite work for you — anyway the data should be OK. Comments should be addressed to Dr Gareth Marshall at GJMA@bas.ac.uk.

Return to the top of the page.
Return to the main Antarctic monthly mean surface temperature page.