How is the condition in Antarctica?

Cold winters and short cold summers, approx. +2°C to -20°C monthly averages. Temperatures are higher than many non-Antarctic continental areas even in winter, summer temperatures kept low due to ice and snow cover. Precipitation can be heavy, winds often very strong – katabatic.

Did Antarctica used to be a desert?

Is there a desert in Antarctica, or is Antarctica a desert? While most deserts only cover part of a continent, the Antarctic Polar Desert spans the whole of Antarctica. So although the coast sees some precipitation, the average across the continent is low enough to classify all of Antarctica as a polar desert.

What are the extreme conditions in Antarctica?

Everything about Antarctica is extreme. South Pole winter temperatures average around minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and coastal winds can reach 200 miles an hour, powering violent blizzards that last a week at a time. Still scientists come, because the last frontier offers data they can’t get anywhere else.

Are there storms in Antarctica?

If you think of the Antarctic continent as a constant mass of furious snow storms, think again. While blizzards do happen in the south pole, they’re few and far between, and they’re typically due to winds blowing lose snow rather than new snow falling.

What makes a weather condition severe in Antarctica?

Severe Condition 1. Must meet one or more of the following criteria: Visibility less than 100 feet (30 m), sustained for one minute or longer. Windspeed over 55 knots (102 km/h; 63 mph), sustained for one minute or longer. Air temperature and/or wind chill below −100 °F (−73 °C), sustained for one minute or longer.

Is the weather in Antarctica always the same?

Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. The weather in Antarctica can be highly variable, and weather conditions will oftentimes change dramatically in a short period of time.

Why is Antarctica the largest desert in the world?

Antarctica, the largest desert of our planet. Barren land with little or no precipitation is referred to as a desert. Due to the lack of water, one of the basic requirements for survival, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life in such environments.

What are the air temp and wind chill in Antarctica?

Air temperature and wind chill are either above −75 °F (−59 °C), or falls to −75 °F or below for less than one minute at a time Visibility is either greater than or equal to 100 feet (30 m), or it falls below 100 feet for less than one minute at a time