Regions with a polar climate are characterized by a lack of warm summers (specifically, no month having an average temperature of 10°C or higher), resulting in the absence of trees in such places, which may also be covered with glaciers or a permanent or semi-permanent layer of ice.
There are two distinct subtypes of polar climate. The less severe of the two is the tundra climate, where at least one month has an average temperature of above freezing, while the colder one — known by various names including the ice cap climate and the perpetual frost climate — features sub-freezing average temperatures year-round.
The only continent where the polar climate is predominant is Antarctica. All but a few isolated coastal areas on the island of Greenland also have a polar climate.
See Also