Which pole is colder, the North or the South?

Both Polar Regions of the earth are cold, primarily because they receive far less solar radiation than the tropics and mid-latitudes do. At either pole the sun never rises more than 23.5 degrees above the horizon and both locations experience six months of continuous darkness. Moreover, most of the sunlight that does shine on the Polar Regions is reflected by the bright white surface.

The South Pole the average temperature is about 56 degrees below zero degrees Fahrenheit (−49 degrees Celsius). At the North Pole the average temperature is a relatively balmy 20 degrees below zero (−29 degrees Celsius).

Antarctica is actually a continent, with the ice and snow lying on top of a huge land mass, whereas the small Arctic ice pack floats atop the Arctic Ocean. The South Pole itself is at an elevation of some 12,000 feet (3,700 meters), and it's always colder at higher altitudes. Moreover, the much bigger ice and snow surface at the South Pole radiates heat away more quickly as soon as the sun goes down.

Yet another factor is that water doesn't get heated or cooled as easily as land does, so it keeps the temperature at the North Pole from going to extremes.