Climate

Winters in the Arctic are long and bitterly cold, summers short and cool. Temperature contrasts between winter and summer are extreme. For example, Eureka, on Ellesmere Island, Canada, north of 80° north latitude, has a January average temperature of -36° F. (-38° C.) and a July average of 42° F (5.5° C.). Though intensely cold in winter, the Arctic is far from being the coldest area on earth. Much lower temperatures are recorded in interior Siberia and in Antarctica.

There is little rainfall, and total precipitation is low—usually less than 10 inches (254 mm) annually. Drizzles and light snow are common. High winds often whip up this snow into blizzards.