Antarctica, what’s supposed to be the coldest place on Earth, has experienced both unexpected and shocking jumps in temperature from 50℉ to 90℉.  Scientists remain baffled at this sudden development that has both completely shattered past records and upended every expectation that were once had. Stefano Di Batista, published climatologist, has stated that “Antarctic climatology has been rewritten.”

Although, this is relative. Normally, temperatures over Eastern Antarctica are roughly -70℉ to -50℉, the temperature is now rising to roughly 0℉ to 10℉. It is, still, a massive heat wave, regardless of relative temperature by area. Scientists have been delving into the issue and the top hypothesis is an “atmospheric river” of sorts; that being a narrow corridor of water vapor in the sky. Based on computer models, the river made landfall and dropped intense rainfall which may have caused massive ice melts.

The worrying news, particularly, is the massive ice shelf (roughly the size of New York) that collapsed into the sea. The shelf was considered safe from the more imminent effects of global warming, however, the fact that this location is being hit spells out far more dangerous shelves falling in the near future. Climatologists are currently theorizing that they have greatly underestimated both the rates and locations of what global warming is truly impacting.

Information about this situation is still being investigated by researchers.