CANBERRAN Louise Carroll is one of five Bureau of Meteorology as forecasters making their way to Antarctica for a four-month tour of duty.  

The five forecasters will work from Davis and Casey stations to provide weather services for the Australian Antarctic program.

Louise and her Tasmania colleague Deborah Holmes are taking a 14-day sea voyage to Davis Station on the Aurora Australis.

“Antarctica is a special place to have the privilege of working. It is unlike any other place on earth and is still one of the last places virtually pristine and untouched by humans,” Louise said.

“It is a unique and challenging environment to live in and one that challenges me both personally and professionally.

“I can’t wait to interact with the people down there and explore the base, but I know there will also be a lot of work to do as we will forecast for each of the three Antarctica stations [Davis, Casey and Mawson], provide field camp and marine forecasts, and all support for planes and helicopters in and out of the continent.

“It’s going to be very busy.”

It is Louise’s fourth trip to Antarctica during her decade-long career with the bureau.

Meteorologists have been embedded in the Australian Antarctic summer program since the development of the Antarctic Meteorological Centre at Casey in 1991.

The internal recruitment process involves a stringent technical, medical and psychological assessment as part of the four to six-month preparation and training period, before the five successful applicants depart from Hobart for the November to March summer season.