Imagine the Equator as a straight line dividing the Earth into two equal parts. Due to the spherical structure and the slight tilt of the Earth on its axis, the Equator receives the highest concentration of sunlight.
In contrast, the poles, which are the farthest from the Equator, receive very little sunlight. Specifically, the Arctic and Antarctic regions are typically icebound and frigid throughout the year.
Because the Equator receives the most sunlight throughout the year, many people assume that equatorial regions are also the hottest places on Earth. However, interestingly, this is not the case.
In fact, the hottest places on Earth are not located at the Equator but rather around the tropical regions, which are the areas located above and below the Equator. What is the reason behind this?
The answer to this question lies in the difference between dry air heat and humid air heat.
The intense sunlight that shines on the Equator causes rising air currents, which help form dense cloud cover over the equatorial region, leading to rain and thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall is a characteristic of the weather in equatorial regions.
This is why regions located on the Equator have lower temperatures and are not the hottest places on the planet. In other words, those living in equatorial regions experience a humid atmosphere created by clouds and rain, even though this is where the most sunlight is absorbed.
Meanwhile, the driest places are noted to be those located at the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer. Some examples include the Sahara Desert, Thar Desert, deserts in Iran, and areas in North America near the Tropic of Cancer. Conversely, the Tropic of Capricorn features the Namib Desert, Kalahari Desert, Atacama Desert, and deserts in Australia.
Even tropical climate regions have higher temperatures compared to the Equator. This is due to the hot air mass that rises from the Equator tending to move towards the poles. However, they are deflected by the Coriolis effect (the deviation of moving objects caused by the rotation of the Earth) and move back towards the tropical regions.
Upon reaching the tropics, the humid hot air becomes drier and descends lower than it initially was. This explains why tropical regions often have temperatures that are 6-10 degrees Celsius higher than those at the Equator.
The reason is the compression of dry air at lower altitudes, which increases temperature. The feeling of dryness is also more pronounced for residents of tropical regions. Therefore, if the initial temperature at the Equator is 30 degrees Celsius, it can ultimately rise to around 42 degrees Celsius in the tropics.
