What is the Köppen climate code for an ice cap climate? The answer is EF.
In the Köppen climate classification, EF identifies an ice cap climate in which no month has a mean temperature above 0°C. Because temperatures remain below the melting point on a monthly average, accumulated snow and ice can persist year-round and build large ice sheets.
The code belongs to Group E, the polar climates. The second letter F distinguishes ice cap conditions from ET, the tundra climate. Tundra climates have at least one month whose mean temperature rises above freezing but remains below 10°C, allowing limited vegetation; EF climates generally have virtually none on the ice itself.
Antarctica and the interior of Greenland are the largest examples. High mountain ice fields can also qualify, including parts of the Himalayas, Andes and Alps. EF should not be confused with Dfc, a subarctic climate, or Af, a tropical rainforest climate.