polar climates
Earth's icy extremes
Polar climates are the coldest climate zones on Earth, found near the Arctic and Antarctic.
Temperatures remain frigid year-round, with brief summers that may barely rise above freezing.
These regions support little vegetation—mostly ice, tundra, and hardy lichens.
Polar climates make permanent human settlement nearly impossible without modern technology.
- subzero temperaturesBelow thirty-two Fahrenheit
- extreme coldSevere low temperature
- ArcticEarth's northernmost zone
- Inuit communitiesArctic indigenous population groups
- dog sledAnimal-drawn snow vehicle
permafrost · frozen tundra · tundra · glaciers · ice sheet · snowpack · snow blindness · Amundsen · Ross Ice Shelf · Svalbard · caribou · snowy owl · ice caps · narwhal · scientific research stations · frost heave · aurora · northern lights
polar climatestropical climates
Warm zones near equator
tropical zone · warm climates · temperate climates · Mediterranean climate · desert climate