The temperature range between the Earth’s poles is drastic due to a combination of factors, including the tilt of the Earth’s axis, the distribution of sunlight, and the circulation of ocean currents and air masses.
One of the main reasons for the temperature difference is that the Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of approximately 23.5 degrees relative to the plane of its orbit around the Sun. This means that the poles receive sunlight at a very oblique angle, resulting in less intense solar radiation and cooler temperatures.
Additionally, the distribution of sunlight is uneven due to the Earth’s rotation and the presence of the atmosphere, which causes some areas to receive more or less sunlight than others. The poles receive very little direct sunlight during the winter months, which leads to prolonged periods of darkness and extreme cold.
Finally, the circulation of ocean currents and air masses plays a significant role in the temperature differences between the poles. The ocean currents near the poles are cold and dense, which causes them to sink and flow towards the equator, while warm currents from the equator flow towards the poles. Similarly, cold air masses from the poles move towards the equator, while warm air masses from the equator move towards the poles.
All of these factors combine to create a drastic temperature range between the Earth’s poles, with the Arctic and Antarctic experiencing some of the coldest temperatures on the planet.
The weather surrounding our planet is in constant change. We are recording the extreme world temperatures hourly. This page presents the locations ( for which we receive data ) that made it into the hottest and coldest locations. The temperatures displayed are for one or more hours per the indicated location during the last 7 days. Hottest at the top of the list, Coldest at the bottom.
Hottest Temps Last Week:
54C | 128F at Islamabad, IS, Pakistan
47C | 117F at Basra, BA, Iraq
43C | 109F at Nagpur, MH, India
43C | 109F at Khartoum, KH, Sudan
43C | 109F at Dubai, DU, United Arab Emirates
42C | 108F at Niamey, 8, Niger
42C | 108F at Death Valley, CA, United States
41C | 106F at Muskegon, MI, United States
40C | 105F at Chennai, TN, India
40C | 105F at Kolkata, WB, India
40C | 105F at Paniapara, ME, Nepal
39C | 103F at Muscat, MA, Oman
39C | 102F at Baghdad, BG, Iraq
38C | 100F at Chandler, AZ, United States
38C | 100F at Maricopa, AZ, United States
37C | 99F at Da Nang, DN, Vietnam
36C | 97F at Ashgabat, S, Turkmenistan
35C | 95F at Dhaka, C, Bangladesh
34C | 94F at Hong Kong, ST, Hong Kong
COLDEST Temps Last Week:
-68C | -90F at Amundsen-Scott South, 00, Antarctica
-65C | -85F at Concordia Station, 00, Antarctica