Wind direction at the pole

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

Just for grins I keep Amundsen-Scott, Antarctica as a Favorite on the Weather Underground weather page. It shows the latitude as 90.0 South.

I am curious about directions right at the pole. For example, the wunderground page for Amundsen-Scott is showing the wind at 5 mph from the NNW. (19-Dec-07 15:44 UTC)

How are directions reckoned at the pole?

Just curious.

Thanks.

[Sciencetech]

As you’ve surmised, directions here are a bit weird because every way is north (using the normal way people reckon directions).

To get around the problem they use a grid system. Take a map of Antarctica. Orient it so that 0 degrees longitude is pointing ‘up’ and overlay a grid on the South Pole. Zero longitude is grid north, 180 degrees is grid south. 90 degrees clockwise from north (90E) is grid east.

Good question!

g

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