Weather: Cold, clear, windy. Temps are now regularly down near -50C (-60F) and windchill today is nearing -100F. Sun is nearing 8 degrees elevation.
We removed the flags from the runway a few days ago. This has to be done every winter, otherwise they’ll get drifted over and a surveyor will have to come out and precisely place each flag… etc, etc. It’s just another reminder that we aren’t expecting any visitors anytime soon!
I finally set up my hockey net, and have been playing roller hockey in the gym… It actually works pretty well, until I turn a little too sharply and the wheels slide on the rubber floor tiles, and I wipe out… but other than that it’s great!
The telescope is telescoping nicely and we haven’t had to do any emergency debugging or problem solving. This also means lots of time for other activities, like the daily evening sports, or doing the physical activities for the Triple Crown.
Running outside is becoming difficult since the windchill of -100F means frostbite in < 5mins… so I have to keep everything, including my mouth, covered at all times. I get claustrophobic with a balaclava over my mouth, so I usually end up having to slow down and try to catch my breath. Hopefully I’ll get more used to it as the season goes on.
I don’t have any other news… Trying to come up with interesting tidbits of my day is difficult. I basically am doing the same things I would be doing at home; data analysis, with the added bonus of monitoring the telescope and real-time data quality.
We do have to grease the elevation gears tonight, though. Which I have a feeling will be awfully cold!
Allen's South Pole Winter-Over 2020 (+) 
and we think we have limiting, dreary weather here! I feel for you, inside and wanting to be out. Say more about the sunlight. 8 degrees or something? what does that mean? when do you lose daylight? For your sake, trying not to get discouraged to see those flags come down (out) It’s part of the order of things
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Yes, the sun is only 8 degrees above the horizon now; so it’s quite low. The sun officially sets on March 21st, though there will be a few weeks of twilight of varying degrees after that.
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