Status: Live

Enlarge Image

McMurdo Station (77°51'S, 166°40'E), the main U.S. station in Antarctica, is a coastal station on the volcanic hills at the southern tip of Ross Island, about 3,864 km (2,415 miles) south of Christchurch, New Zealand, and 1,360 km (850 miles) north of the South Pole. The original station was built in 1955 to 1956 for the International Geophysical Year. Today's station is the primary logistics facility for supply of inland stations and remote field camps, and is also the waste management center for much of the U.S. Antarctic Program. Year-round and summer science projects are supported at McMurdo.

The station has a harbor, landing strips on the sea ice and shelf ice, and a helicopter pad. The three airfields-the annual sea-ice runway, Pegasus White Ice Runway, and Williams Field Skiway-are used at different times of the year for different reasons. The station's 85 or so buildings range in size from a small radio shack to large, three-story structures. Repair facilities, dormitories, administrative buildings, a firehouse, power plant, water distillation plant, wharf, stores, clubs, warehouses, a science support center, and the first-class, 4,320 square-meter Crary Lab are linked by above-ground water, sewer, telephone, and power lines.

The mean annual temperature is -18°C (0°F). Temperatures may reach 8°C (46°F) in summer and -50°C (-58°F) in winter. The average wind is 12 knots, but winds have exceeded 100 knots.

Research is performed at and near McMurdo Station in aeronomy and astrophysics , organisms and ecosystems , earth sciences , glaciology and glacial geology , integrated system science , and ocean and atmospheric sciences . Participants of the Antarctic Artists and Writers Program also work at sites in the area. For projects supported during the 2009-2010 season, see the McMurdo Station Science Program Index in the USAP Science Planning Summary. McMurdo Station is also the launch site for deep field projects in East and West Antarctica. For information about these projects see the Special Projects Science Program Index.

McMurdo Station seen from Ob Hill.

McMurdo Station began austral winter operations on February 20, 2010, when the last flight left for Christchurch, New Zealand. About 200 people will spend the winter at the station on Ross Island. The sun will set for the winter in late April. To find out more about life at U.S. Antarctic research stations, see the Around the Continent section of The Antarctic Sun.

The McMurdo Station Webcam

The McMurdo Station Webcam is located on the edge of Arrival Heights (77°49’S 166° 39’E) just north of Hut Point on the west side of the Hut Point Peninsula. During the winter the camera is focused on the center of McMurdo Station to take advantage of the lights that illuminate the station during the polar night. This view includes Building 155 that houses the station dining facility, laundry, library, station store, television and radio studios, a barber shop, offices, and some dormitory space; the station medical clinic; and firehouse. To the left are warehouses, construction and maintenance workshops, and the science support center. In the upper right is the Crary Science and Engineering Center and to its left is the NSF Chalet. The foreground includes several dormitories.

NOTE: The camera image is often obscured due to harsh and unpredictable weather conditions.

For information about current research conducted in or near McMurdo Station, see the NSF McMurdo Station and Vicinity Research Projects page.