At the poles, water is mostly in a solid state, meaning it's frozen as ice all year round.

Here's why:

* Extreme cold: The poles experience extremely low temperatures, often well below the freezing point of water (0 degrees Celsius or 32 degrees Fahrenheit).

* Limited sunlight: Due to the Earth's tilt, the poles receive very limited sunlight, especially during their respective winters. This further contributes to the freezing conditions.

While there might be some localized melting on the surface during the summer months, the vast majority of water at the poles remains frozen as ice caps and glaciers.