what is the difference between a hot and cold desert

basically, a cold desert is a place where you get almost zero rain or snow, and the temps stay way below freezing for most of the year. unlike the sandy, hot places people usually think of, these spots are covered in ice, snow, or rocky ground. it's super dry and harsh because the moisture is trapped as ice, making it tough for pretty much anything to grow there.

the best example i can think of is antarctica. i've seen some pretty desolate places during my travels, but nothing compares to that scale. it’s the biggest desert on the planet, even though it's all frozen. you might also count the gobi desert in asia as a cold desert because of how chilly it gets, even if it's not strictly covered in ice like the poles.