2021 in Antarctica

Decades:	2000s ; 2010s ; 2020s ;
See also:	Other events of 2021 ; Timeline of Antarctic history ;

Last updated January 10, 2026

The following events occurred in Antarctica in 2021 .

Events

Ongoing: COVID-19 pandemic in Antarctica

February — Researchers deployed robotic gliders from the RRS James Cook, 23 km from the iceberg A-68a. Results of their measurements were published in 2025, revealing the impact of meltwater on the surrounding ocean.^[1]^[2]
18 March — The Chilean Air Force announces that part of its staff in Antarctica has been vaccinated against COVID-19, making them the first people on the continent to receive a vaccine.^[3]
19 May — A tabular iceberg slightly larger than the size of Mallorca, dubbed A-76, calves from the Ronne Ice Shelf in Antarctica's Weddell Sea.^[4]
1 July — The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization confirms that a record high temperature of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F) has been recorded in Antarctica at the Esperanza Base.^[5]

References

↑ Survey, British Antarctic. "Underwater robotic gliders provide new insights into the impact of a melting megaberg". phys.org. Retrieved 2025-04-10.
↑ Lucas, Natasha S.; Brearley, J. Alexander; Hendry, Katharine R.; Spira, Theo; Braakmann-Folgmann, Anne; Abrahamsen, E. Povl; Meredith, Michael P.; Tarling, Geraint A. (2025). "Giant iceberg meltwater increases upper-ocean stratification and vertical mixing". Nature Geoscience. 18 (4): 305–312. doi: 10.1038/s41561-025-01659-7 . ISSN 1752-0894.
↑ Antarctica, US News (March 17, 2021). "Chile's Red-Hot Inoculation Drive Reaches Frozen Continent of Antarctica".
↑ Ivana Kottasová. "World's largest iceberg breaks off from Antarctica". CNN. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
↑ "UN confirms 18.3C record heat in Antarctica". France 24. 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2022-08-26.

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[1] Survey, British Antarctic. "Underwater robotic gliders provide new insights into the impact of a melting megaberg". phys.org. Retrieved 2025-04-10.

[2] Lucas, Natasha S.; Brearley, J. Alexander; Hendry, Katharine R.; Spira, Theo; Braakmann-Folgmann, Anne; Abrahamsen, E. Povl; Meredith, Michael P.; Tarling, Geraint A. (2025). "Giant iceberg meltwater increases upper-ocean stratification and vertical mixing". Nature Geoscience. 18 (4): 305–312. doi: 10.1038/s41561-025-01659-7 . ISSN 1752-0894.

[3] Antarctica, US News (March 17, 2021). "Chile's Red-Hot Inoculation Drive Reaches Frozen Continent of Antarctica".

[4] Ivana Kottasová. "World's largest iceberg breaks off from Antarctica". CNN. Retrieved 2022-08-26.

[5] "UN confirms 18.3C record heat in Antarctica". France 24. 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2022-08-26.

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