Using both ground-based and satellite data up to December 1998, the intensity, duration, appearance at both horizontal and vertical scales and ozone-mass deficiency (O3MD) of the severe ozone decline observed over the southern polar region are presented. Over the last six years: the depletion within the ozone hole area (i.e. total ozone amounts <220 m atm-cm) is almost three times more severe than in the early 1980s. the ozone hole (O3h) area has exceeded 22 million km2 at its maximum, and the lowest total ozone was ~100 m atm-cm. However, during the 1998 season for the first time for nearly 20 days the O3h area exceeded 25 million km2, and the integrated O3MD during September-October, poleward of 60 ¿S, exceeded the average value of the 1990s by ~25%. At the beginning of the 1980s, ozone hole values were observed mostly in October, but more recently, they frequently continue until mid-December. The depletion was most severe in the 12-20 km layer over Antarctica: ~70% in September, ~90% in October and ~80% in November. Related to this, the monthly mean lower stratospheric temperatures between 70-90 ¿S have declined by ~10 ¿C in October, ~12 ¿C in November and by ~5 ¿C in December. Taking the last six years seasonally integrated O3MD over the area poleward of 60 ¿S (average ~6,300 Mt) is about a third greater than the O3MD over the northern polar region winter-springs. Over the southern mid-latitudes O3MD is about a third less than the deficiency observed between 35-55 ¿N. ¿ 1999 American Geophysical Union