Antarctica, Arctic hit temperatures 40 C and 30 C hotter than normal

Temperatures at both of Earth's poles have soared in recent days, something scientists are calling 'impossible' and 'unthinkable.'

Both of the Earth’s poles have been experiencing extreme heat events at the same time, and scientists are calling it “not a good sign.”

Parts of Antarctica are more than 40 C warmer than average for this time of year, while areas of the Arctic are more than 30 C warmer than average.

Weather stations in Antarctica shattered records Friday as the region neared autumn. The three-kilometre-high Concordia station was at -12.2 C, while the even higher Vostok station hit -17.7 C, beating its all-time record by about 15 C, according to a tweet from extreme weather record tracker Maximiliano Herrera.

The coastal Terra Nova Base was far above freezing, at 7 C.

Climate scientist Dr. Robert Rohde shared the info on Twitter, writing: “That’s not an error, or a typo.”

“This event is rewriting record books and our expectations about what is possible in Antarctica,” he continued in a followup tweet. “Is this simply a freakishly improbable event, or is it a sign of more to come? Right now, no one knows.”