Antarctica and the Southern Ocean

Antarctica experienced strong to record below-average pressure and stronger-than-average circumpolar westerlies to start (January) and close (December) 2023, marking the third and fourth consecutive summers with such conditions (2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24). During austral autumn, winter, and spring, the atmospheric circulation over the South Pacific underwent a marked transition from the previous three years as the “triple dip” La Niña officially transitioned to El Niño during autumn 2023.