Promoting South Africa’s involvement in the sub-Antarctic (Marion Island)
Why is meteorological data collected on Marion Island?
Anché Louw (ALSA) interviewed Mr. Rian Smit (Senior Forecaster at the South African Weather Service) before he got onto the S.A. Agulhas II, which departed to Marion Island on the 7th of April 2018. He will be training the three new overwintering personnel to collect accurate data for the period of April 2018 until May 2019.
Watch this short video if you want to know more about meteorological data collected from Marion Island and how this is used for weather forecasting. Annually, 3 Meteorological Observers form part of the 20-something overwintering personnel, staying on Marion Island for just more than 1 year (14 Months). They have just arrived on Marion island!!
Another video – Marion Island 2018 take-over:
Anché Louw, Antarctic Legacy of South Africa, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, 11 April 2018.