Kate Upton Graces the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Again, and That’s OK With Us [VIDEO]

In the middle of "summer" in Antarctica, perhaps the last thing you would expect to see is all-world knockout Kate Upton in a bikini. But, if you happened to trek down that way last December (that's summer down there, apparently), Ms. Upton in a bikini is exactly what you would have found.

Uber-gorgeous Kate Upton is on the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue for the second straight year, and that's just fine with us. This marks the third straight year she appears in the issue -- she was the magazine's "Rookie of the Year" in 2011.

Upton, who only will be legally of age to drink in June, joins the ranks of Carolyn Murphy (2004-05), Tyra Banks (1996-97), Elle Macpherson (1986-88), Paulina Porickova (1984-85) and Christie Brinkley (1979-81) as the only models to appear on the cover of the magazine in consecutive years.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Sports Illustrated's special issue -- and it came at a pretty cold price for Upton.

The cover shot "is the most clothes I'm wearing in the whole issue," Upton said in a phone interview Monday. "It was a sort of I-love-you from the editor: 'I'll let you wear a coat for this one.'"

Although, she did call Antarctica "the most beautiful place I've ever been."

We'll take her word for it.

Click here to see all the other 49 Swimsuit Edition covers, and go here to see all the models in this year's Swimsuit Edition.