A radiative transfer model is used to compute the net heating and diabatic circulation from observed temperature and ozone data in the Southern Hemisphere during September and October of 1979, 1980, and 1984. There is an increase in net heating near the pole from September to October, which is associated with an upward cell in the diabatic circulation. This is consistent with dynamical theories of the observed intraseasonal changes in total ozone which postulate the development of an upward circulation at the pole. However, estimates of the mass circulation at the pole suggest that an additional heat source of at least 0.5 K/day is required to maintain the upward cell. Increased net heating at the pole from 1979 to 1980 and decreased net cooling at mid to subpolar latitudes from 1979 to 1984 is also found, which suggests a trend toward increased upward circulation at the poles and downward motion at mid‐latitudes consistent with the observed changes in total ozon