THE WEATHER AT THE POLES
Is the weather at the North Pole and the South Pole the same? No, it's not!
The North Pole is mostly water -- only the edges of North America, Europe and Asia touch the Arctic Ocean there. Air currents that rise off the huge area of water keep the temperature pretty high. During the winter, the temperature is around -30 degrees Fahrenheit, and it reaches about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. This kind of weather allows plants, animals and the Eskimo people to live in the Arctic.
But the South Pole is mostly solid land -- the continent of Antarctica, which is one big icecap. It is the coldest area on Earth, with below freezing temperatures of -40 degrees to -100 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter. In Antarctica, only some insects and plants can survive inland. On the coast, where it is a little warmer, seals, whales, penguins and some fish and birds are able to survive.
