Simultaneous ground-based optical measurements of the response of the thermosphere to the geomagnetic storm of April 2002 were made at South Pole (90¿S) and Arrival Heights (78¿S). Large meridional and zonal winds were observed, with values reaching 600 m/s. The kinetic temperature during the storm showed an increase nearly 3-fold from the normal values during the time of peak wind, while the emission of the 630 nm increased over 20-fold. Simulation of the storm with the TIME-GCM model, including low energy electron precipitation observed by the DMSP satellites, shows good agreement with the measurements. Without low energy electron precipitation, the model simulation underestimates the kinetic temperature and emission.