Most of us are aware that it is colder at the North Pole than it is in Florida, but do you know why? Why is it warmer to the south and cooler to the north?

Let's check out a couple of locations, three that are close to the poles and two that are close to the equator. Consider the average daily high temperatures for the month of February for these locations, and then check the current conditions at the South Pole.

Locations #1 through #5 are marked as well as the location of the equator. Notice where are temperatures are the warmest and coolest? Where do you think we will find the warmest temperatures?

Location #1: Verkhoyansk is in Northern Russia. The average afternoon high temperature in February is - 41 degrees. The latitude is 67" 34' North of the equator.

Location #2: Guayaquil is in Ecuador. The country is named for its location on the equator. The average afternoon high temperature in the city is 87 degrees. The latitude of Guayaquil is 2"10' South of the equator.

Location #3: Kisumu is in Kenya. The average afternoon high temperature is 84 degrees in February. This city is located very close to the equator. The latitude of Kisumu is 0"06' south of the equator.

Location #4: South Pole. The latitude here is 90 degrees south of the equator.

Location #5: Stonington Island is in Graham Land. This is on the edge of Antarctica and temperatures here can become extremely cold. The average high temperature in February is 34 degrees. The latitude is 68"11' south of the equator.

Do you see a trend? Why do you think that is?

As we've said, heat energy that is received on earth comes mainly from the sun. The amount of solar energy that is received varies at different locations around the world. Less energy reaches the poles and a greater amount of energy reaches the Earth's Equator. The reason for this difference lies in the angle at which the sun strikes the Earth's surface.