Question on Antartica?

Question

Antarctica is close to the tip of S. America, which is very warm. So why is the continent so cold?

Answer 1

Not all of South America is tropical.  The southern tip of South America is called Tierra del Fuego.  Its climate is characterized as:

The climate in this region is very inhospitable. It is a subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen climate classification Cfc) with short, cool summers and long, wet, moderate winters: the northeast is characterized by strong winds and little precipitation, in the south and west it is very windy, foggy, and wet for most of the year and there are very few days without rain, slush, hail or snow. The permanent snow-line begins at 700 m (2300 ft) above sea level. Isla de los Estados, 230 km (143 mi) east of Ushuaia, receives 1,400 mm (55 in) of rain. Rainfall is heavier in the west, 3,000 mm (118 in) a year. Temperatures are steady throughout the year: in Ushuaia (the southernmost city in the world) they hardly surpass 9 °C (50 °F) in summers and average 0 °C (30 °F) in winters. Snowfall can occur in summer. The cold and wet summers help preserve the ancient glaciers. The southernmost islands possess subantarctic climate typical of tundra that makes the growth of trees impossible. Some areas in the interior that have polar climate.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra_del_...