What Is the Average Precipitation of Polar Ice Cap Biomes?

Michael S. Nolan/age fotostock/Getty Images

According to the University of California and measurements taken at the Vostok station in Antarctica, precipitation in polar ice cap biomes is extremely low. Across the continent of Antarctica, precipitation is 16.6 cm, and in the Arctic tundra, precipitation is between 15 and 25 cm per year.

Precipitation in polar ice cap biomes is typically very low because the temperature in these regions tends to be very cold. Air can only hold evaporated water until it reaches saturation, which is also called the dew point. At the dew point, water condenses out of air. In polar regions, the air temperature is too low to pick up enough water vapor to produce much precipitation.