The climate of Antarctica is the colest on earth, the lowest temperature ever recorded on earth being −89.2 °C (−128.6 °F) at Vostok Station. It is also extremely dry, with an average of only 166 mm of precipitation per year; however, on most parts of the continent the snow never melts and is eventually compressed to become the glacial ice that makes up the ice sheet. Weather fronts rarely penetrate far into the continent. Most of Antarctica has an ice cap climate (Koppen EF) with very cold, generally extremely dry weather throughout the year and no month averaging above 0 °C (32 °F). Some fringe coastal areas have a polar climate (Koppen ET) with a short summer averaging above freezing, and much higher precipitation.