Is the North Pole Colder or the South Pole?

The North Pole and South Pole are the coldest places on earth. But even though these areas look similar, one is much cooler than the other. So, is it the north pole or the colder south pole? In this article, we look at the answer to this question and why.

Both the North Pole and the South Pole are cold because they cannot receive direct light from the Sun due to their position above and below the planet. In both, the Sun always stays low on the horizon, even in the middle of summer. During winters, however, the Sun stays well below the horizon and does not appear for months.

In addition, the white surfaces of polar ice and snow are highly reflective. That is, most of the energy from sunlight reaching them is returned to space, causing the air above these surfaces to remain relatively cool.

THE SOUTH POLE IS COOLER

Although these reasons cause both poles to be extremely cold, the South Pole remains significantly colder than the North Pole, according to the Woods Hole Institute for Marine Science. The average annual temperature in the Arctic is minus 40 degrees Celsius in winter and 0 degrees Celsius in summer. But the South Pole is much colder with an annual average of minus 60°C and minus minus 28.2°C in summer.

This 3D topographic view of Antarctica gives an idea of ​​its high altitudes and mountains. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech.

The main reason why the South pole is colder than the North pole, it also shows the fundamental difference between them. “The North Pole is an ocean and the South Pole is a continent,” said Robin Bell, a polar scientist at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory in New York City, in an interview with Live Science.

The North Pole is a landlocked ocean. Antarctica is a piece of land surrounded by an ocean. Water cools and heats more slowly than land, causing temperatures to reach extremes less often. Even though the Arctic Ocean is covered in ice, the relatively high temperature of its waters has a moderating effect on the climate and helps keep the Arctic warmer than Antarctica.

In addition, the Arctic is located at sea level, while Antarctica is the highest continent with an average elevation of 2,300 meters. As you can imagine, the higher a place is, the colder it is, unless there is a special circumstance (such as an active volcano).

REASONS FOR THE SOUTH POLE TO BE COOLER, ACCORDING TO NASA

NASA answers the same question. Here’s NASA’s answer to this question:

• The North Pole is a landlocked ocean. The South Pole is land surrounded by ocean. (The South Pole is a landmass, so it is considered one of the seven continents, called Antarctica).

• The ocean under the Arctic ice is cold, but still warmer than the ice in the Antarctic glacier. So the ocean warms the air a little.

• Antarctica is dry and high. Most of its mountains are very high above sea level. In other words, Antarctica has a higher altitude than the North Pole. And the higher you go, the colder it gets.

• The main reason the South Pole is much colder than the North Pole is the intensity of the winds blowing around the poles. Antarctic winds are very strong and keep warmer air from mixing with arctic air. This happens at the North Pole as well, but the winds surrounding the North Pole are not as strong. Therefore, warmer air from warmer mid-latitudes can mix with arctic air, making the Arctic warmer.