Polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs) were observed above the geographic South Pole by an Fe Boltzmann temperature lidar from 11 Dec 99 to 24 Feb 00. During this 76-day period 297 h of observations were made on 33 different days and PMCs were detected 66.5% of the time. The mean PMC peak backscatter ratio, peak volume backscatter coefficient, total backscatter coefficient, layer centroid altitude, and layer rms width are 50.59¿2.33, 2.70¿0.12¿10-9 m-1 sr-1, 3.61¿0.22¿10-6 sr-1, 85.49¿0.09 km, and 0.71¿0.03 km, respectively. The PMCs are highest near summer solstice when upwelling over the pole is strongest. The altitudes are 2--4 km higher than that typically observed elsewhere, including the North Pole. After solstice the mean altitudes decreases by about 64 m/day as the upwelling weakens. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union