High-resolution, research-quality surface pressures are objectively calculated over the Southern Ocean from SeaWinds on QuikSCAT winds. The pressure fields are validated in comparison to in situ observations. Overall, the scatterometer-derived surface pressures are a small improvement over the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis, which is used as the objective technique’s background field. This improvement is understated primarily because the comparison data undersample storms. Instances are found where the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis misses storms entirely and the scatterometer-derived pressures are a large improvement (as much as 20 hPa).