Antarctica vs. Arctic: Why the South Pole Is Colder

Not a Simple Degree Difference

The Arctic and Antarctic are fundamentally different: the Arctic is an ocean surrounded by land; Antarctica is a continent covered by a thick ice sheet. This geography drives temperature disparities.

Average Temperatures

• Arctic: Winter −34°C, Summer 0°C.
• Antarctic: Winter −49°C, Summer −29°C.

Extremes

• Arctic record low: −60°C.
• Antarctic record low: −89.2°C (Vostok Station, 1983) — the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth.

Key Reasons Antarctica Is Colder

• High elevation (ice sheet ~3 km thick).
• Continental climate (no moderating ocean).
• Permanent ice cover reflects solar radiation.
• Isolation by circumpolar vortex.

While no single "degree difference" applies universally, Antarctica is consistently and significantly colder.