The precipitation in Antarctica is generally connected to the cyclic storms that characterise the coastal areas during winter. The coast commonly sees 600-1500 mm of snow during a year, while rarely is more than 50 mm of snow recorded on the platea u. Under the influence of gravity, cold heavy air which lies over the continent flows toward the coast. These katabatic winds create blizzard situations in the coastal areas. 200 million years ago Antarctica was part of the super continent Gondwanaland, which, in addition to what we today know as Antarctica, included Africa, Australia, New Zealand, India and South-America.
Inner forces lead to the splitting up and drifting of the land mass.
Around 30 million years ago Antarctica got the shape and locality it has today. Fossils of ferns, fresh-water fish, amphibians and reptiles give evidence that Antarctica has not always been covered by ice. The Mount Vinson Massive in West Antarctica, with its peak 5140 meters above sea level, is the highest mountain in Antarctica. In addition to the nunataks, also larger ice free areas known as oases occur in Antarctica. Oases form where the ice has withdrawn and where new snow melts faster than it accumulates.