ABSTRACT

The northern coastal areas of Eurasia and North America together with Greenland as well as Antarctica have a polar climate. The main features of polar climate region are year-round low temperatures and relatively low precipitation amounts. The single most important factor affecting the climate of the polar regions is their high latitudinal location. Another feature that helps to explain and reinforce the characteristics of the polar climate is the temperature inversion. The polar surface high-pressure cell can intensify and weaken over time and can thus affect the strength of the upper westerlies. The southern Circumpolar Vortex is stronger than the northern one because of the greater expanse of continuous ocean around the South Pole that offers little friction to the upper winds. The Gulf Stream initially and then the North Atlantic Drift (NAD) carry warm and relatively salty water from the Caribbean north-eastwards to the seas between Greenland, Iceland and Norway.