Does it snow a lot in Antarctica?

Antarctica surrounds the south pole, is almost 100% covered in ice and is the coldest and windiest continent on Earth.  It is also a desert.  What?

A desert is defined as a region that gets less than 10 inches of precipitation per year, and Antarctica certainly qualifies.  The coastal regions receive only about eight inches of snowfall per year, and the interior, only two inches (less than the Sahara Desert).  That makes it not only the coldest and windiest continent, but also the driest!  Due to the extreme cold temperatures, there has been no rain on the continent for two million years.

The snow and ice covering Antarctica has accumulated over millennia – there is little evaporation or melting to make it disappear.  So, even the tiny amount of new snowfall each year has been enough to build up miles-deep on the surface.

Although snowfall is rare in Antarctica, blizzards are common.  These blizzards are actually caused by powerful winds that whip up snow that has already fallen, creating extreme, “white out” conditions.

Bonus Fact: Every winter, Antarctica doubles in size due to the accumulation of ice around its coast.