Cold Climates (Polar and Tundra)

Polar Climate:

Location & Areas:

• Found around 90°N and 90°S of the EquatorThe Equator is Zero degrees (0°) latitude. The Sun is directly overhead the equator at noon on the two equinoxes (March and Sept. 20 or 21). The equator divides the globe... More, especially near the North and South Poles .
• Found in the interior parts of Greenland, Iceland, and Antarctica.

Climatic Characteristics:

• Temperatures are permanently below 0°C .
• Summers are extremely cold, with negligible difference from winter temperatures.
• Annual temperature range is very small.
• Ice covers the land throughout the year, forming icecaps .
• Snowstorms (blizzards) are very frequent.
• Winters have continuous night for several weeks; summers have continuous daylight .
• Annual precipitationPrecipitation is any liquid or frozen water that forms in the atmosphere and falls back to the Earth. It comes in many forms, like rain, sleet, and snow. More is very low ( 10 – 15 cm ), mostly falling as snow.
• Permafrost: Ground remains frozen year-round (at least two consecutive years), with only the top layer thawing briefly in summer.

Natural Vegetation:

• Vegetation is almost non-existent due to permanent ice cover.

Human Activities:

• Fishing is possible only during the short summer.
• Eskimos and other indigenousAn indigene is a person, animal, or plant that is native or original to a particular area or region; basically, it refers to someone or something that originates or is naturally... More peoples engage in limited hunting of wildlife.
• Some herding of cold-adapted animals is possible.

Tundra Climate:

Location & Areas:

• Found mainly between 60°N – 90°N and 60°S – 90°S of the Equator.
• Located in the coastal