Why Is Antarctica Called a Desert Even Though It Is Covered in Ice?

What Crafty Clover says in this video

Intro

Hi there, curious minds! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why is Antarctica called a desert even though it is covered in ice?

The Big Idea

A desert is a place that gets very little rain or snow, and the heat does not matter! The inside of Antarctica is so cold and dry that it gets only a couple of inches of snowfall a year, measured as melted water. That makes it a frozen desert.

Measure the Snow

Step one: measure what falls. Scientists melt the snow and measure it as water. In the middle of Antarctica, that is only a couple of inches in a whole year.

Cold Air Is Dry

Step two: cold air is dry. Very cold air can hold only a tiny bit of moisture, so clouds rarely make much snow. Antarctica is the driest, windiest, and coldest continent on Earth.

Old Piled Snow

Step three: where does all the ice come from? The ice is old snow that has piled up for thousands of years and never melted. A little snow each year adds up when nothing melts it away.

A Closer Look

Let's take a closer look! Only a little snow falls each year. The air is bitterly cold. Strong winds sweep across the ice. And the ice is made of old snow that stayed frozen. That is a true polar desert.

Quick Facts

Quick facts! Antarctica holds about 70 percent of Earth's fresh water. That water is frozen as ice. It is the driest, windiest, and coldest continent. Visitors there always go with expert guides and warm gear.

Think Like a Scientist

Now, think like a scientist! With a grown-up, look up the yearly rainfall of the Sahara online. Then look up the snowfall in the middle of Antarctica. Which one is a little wetter? What surprises you?

Outro

A desert is a very dry place, even when it is covered in ice. Science is amazing! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!