Beyond The Forecast: Is the North Pole or South Pole colder?

The South Pole is much colder than the North Pole due to geography. The North Pole is located in an ocean mostly surrounded by land and the South Pole is located in a continent surrounded by ocean. The North Pole is located a few feet above sea level. The elevation varies because the thickness of ice covering the ocean at the North Pole changes throughout the year. The South Pole sits at an elevation of 9,301 feet and in, general, the higher elevation the colder it gets. Average temperatures are around 32 degrees in the summer and -40 degrees in the winter at the North Pole; -18 degrees in the summer and -76 degrees in the winter at the South Pole.