Snowy Plains
| Structures |  Igloo Snowy Village Pillager Outpost
|
|---|---|
| Features |  Spruce
|
| Blocks |  Snow Grass Block Ice
|
|
Climate | |
| Temperature | 0.0 |
| Downfall | 0.5 |
| Precipitation | Yes |
| Snow accumulation[BE only] |
0.25-1.0 |
|
Colors | |
| Grass color | #80B497 |
| Foliage color | #60A17B |
| Dry foliage color | #8F7A5A |
| Water color | #3F76E4[JE only] #14559B[BE only] |
| Water fog color | #050533[JE only] #14559B[BE only] |
|
Vibrant Visuals | |
| Atmospherics | Default |
| Lighting | Cold |
| Volumetric fog | Default |
| Color grading | Cold |
The snowy plains or ice plains are snow-covered grassland biomes in the Overworld that usually generate near other snowy biomes.
Generation
Snowy plains generate where temperatures are very low and humidity is low to moderate. Frozen rivers frequently meander through snowy plains, and they commonly border frozen oceans, either directly or separated by snowy beaches or stony shores.
Snowy taigas and ice spikes often border snowy plains, sometimes separated by frozen rivers. Where erosion is low, snowy plains are replaced by large areas of snowy slopes or groves, which can climb further to jagged peaks or frozen peaks. A thin snowy plains biome may generate in the lowest part of such mountain valleys.
Windswept gravelly hills and windswept hills can generate nearby when the erosion is high. Plains and forest biomes generate where the temperature rises.
Ice caves,[upcoming: Fourth Drop 2026] sulfur caves, and dripstone caves are somewhat common beneath snowy plains.
Description
Snowy plains are plains covered with snow layers, which are often stacked in Bedrock Edition due to a higher snow accumulation. Aquifers and springs freeze over soon after generation due to the temperature if not exposed to light; thus, sugar cane that generates alongside water sources often uproot itself shortly after. Lava lakes and lava springs that generate within the snowy plains biomes melt the snow layers around them.
Polar bears and rabbits are the only passive mobs spawning here. At nighttime or during thunderstorms, in Bedrock Edition, no other hostile mobs than frostbites,[upcoming: Fourth Drop 2026] skeletons, and their cold stray variants can spawn here. Rarely, zombie horsemen can also spawn, as well as other hostile mobs in Java Edition.
Igloos are typical structures in snowy plains. Villages generate commonly, with structures made of spruce wood, and pillager outposts can also be found.
With Vibrant Visuals, snowy plains use default atmospherics with a strong cold color grading, making the biome appear icy blue. They have cold sunlight, which appears slightly brighter at dusk and dawn.
Mobs
The following mobs naturally spawn here:
| Mob | Spawn weight | Group size |
|---|---|---|
| Monster category | ||
 Creeper | 100⁄530 | 4 |
 Slime[note 1] | 100⁄530 | 4 |
 Spider | 100⁄530 | 4 |
 Zombie | 95⁄530 | 4 |
 Stray | 80⁄530 | 4 |
 Skeleton | 20⁄530 | 4 |
 Frostbite[note 2] | 10⁄530 | 4 |
 Enderman | 10⁄530 | 1–4 |
 Witch | 5⁄530 | 1 |
 Zombie Horse[note 3] | 5⁄530 | 1 |
 Zombie Villager | 5⁄530 | 1 |
| Creature category | ||
 Rabbit | 10⁄11 | 2–3 |
 Polar Bear | 1⁄11 | 1–2 |
| Underground water creature category | ||
 Glow Squid | 1 | 4–6 |
| Ambient category | ||
 Bat | 1 | 8 |
- ↑ Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.
- ↑ [upcoming: Fourth Drop 2026]
- ↑ Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear unless the difficulty is peaceful.
{ "hasNotes": true, "notes": { "Frostbite": "​<sup class=\" nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement applies only to upcoming versions of Minecraft.\">upcoming:</span> [[Fourth Drop 2026|Fourth Drop 2026]]</i>]</sup>[[Category:Upcoming]]", "Slime": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "Zombie Horse": "Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear unless the difficulty is peaceful." }, "1": { "totalWeight": 530, "mobs": [ { "size": "4", "mob": "Creeper", "weight": 100 }, { "note": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "mob": "Slime", "weight": 100, "notename": "Slime", "size": "4" }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Spider", "weight": 100 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Zombie", "weight": 95 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Stray", "weight": 80 }, { "size": "4", "mob": "Skeleton", "weight": 20 }, { "note": "​<sup class=\" nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement applies only to upcoming versions of Minecraft.\">upcoming:</span> [[Fourth Drop 2026|Fourth Drop 2026]]</i>]</sup>[[Category:Upcoming]]", "mob": "Frostbite", "weight": 10, "notename": "Frostbite", "size": "4" }, { "size": "1-4", "mob": "Enderman", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Witch", "weight": 5 }, { "note": "Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear unless the difficulty is peaceful.", "mob": "Zombie Horse", "weight": 5, "notename": "Zombie Horse", "size": "1" }, { "size": "1", "mob": "Zombie Villager", "weight": 5 } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 11, "mobs": [ { "size": "2-3", "mob": "Rabbit", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Polar Bear", "weight": 1 } ], "category": "creature" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "4-6", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "underground" }, "4": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "8", "mob": "Bat", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "ambient" } }
| Mob | Spawn weight | Group size |
|---|---|---|
| Monster category | ||
| Slime[note 1] | 100 | 1 |
| Stray | 96 | 1–2 |
| Frostbite[note 2] | 25 | 2–4 |
| Skeleton | 24 | 1–2 |
| Zombie Horse[note 3] | 5 | 1 |
| Creature category | ||
| Glow Squid | 10 | 2–4 |
| Rabbit | 4 | 2–3 |
| Polar Bear | 1 | 1–2 |
| Ambient category | ||
| Bat | 1 | 2 |
- ↑ Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.
- ↑ [upcoming: Fourth Drop 2026]
- ↑ Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear.
{ "hasNotes": true, "notes": { "Frostbite": "​<sup class=\" nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement applies only to upcoming versions of Minecraft.\">upcoming:</span> [[Fourth Drop 2026|Fourth Drop 2026]]</i>]</sup>[[Category:Upcoming]]", "Slime": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "Zombie Horse": "Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear." }, "1": { "totalWeight": 250, "mobs": [ { "note": "Spawn attempt succeeds only in slime chunks.", "mob": "Slime", "weight": 100, "notename": "Slime", "size": "1" }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Stray", "weight": 96 }, { "note": "​<sup class=\" nowrap Inline-Template \" title=\"\">[<i><span title=\"This statement applies only to upcoming versions of Minecraft.\">upcoming:</span> [[Fourth Drop 2026|Fourth Drop 2026]]</i>]</sup>[[Category:Upcoming]]", "mob": "Frostbite", "weight": 25, "notename": "Frostbite", "size": "2-4" }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Skeleton", "weight": 24 }, { "note": "Always spawns ridden by a zombie with an iron spear.", "mob": "Zombie Horse", "weight": 5, "notename": "Zombie Horse", "size": "1" } ], "category": "monster" }, "2": { "totalWeight": 15, "mobs": [ { "size": "2-4", "mob": "Glow Squid", "weight": 10 }, { "size": "2-3", "mob": "Rabbit", "weight": 4 }, { "size": "1-2", "mob": "Polar Bear", "weight": 1 } ], "category": "creature" }, "3": { "totalWeight": 10, "mobs": [ { "size": "2", "mob": "Bat", "weight": 10 } ], "category": "ambient" } }
Sounds
Music
These music tracks play while the player is in snowy plains:
| Title | Preview | Java Edition | Bedrock Edition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Probability | Weight | Probability | ||
| A Familiar Room | 1 | 2.70% | — | — | |
| Below and Above | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Broken Clocks | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Clark | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Comforting Memories | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Danny | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Dry Hands | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Ebb | 2 | 5.41% | 2 | 5.56% | |
| Featherfall | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Fireflies | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Floating Dream | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Haggstrom | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Home | 2 | 5.41% | 2 | 5.56% | |
| Key | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| komorebi | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Left to Bloom | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Lilypad | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Living Mice | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Memories | 2 | 5.41% | 2 | 5.56% | |
| Mice on Venus | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Minecraft | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Nightly | 2 | 5.41% | 2 | 5.56% | |
| One More Day | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| O's Piano | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Oxygène | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Puzzlebox | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Shores | 2 | 5.41% | 2 | 5.56% | |
| Subwoofer Lullaby | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Sweden | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Watcher | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| Wet Hands | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
| yakusoku | 1 | 2.70% | 1 | 2.78% | |
In Creative mode, the following tracks can play:
| Title | Preview | Java Edition | Bedrock Edition | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | Probability | Weight | Probability | ||
| Aria Math | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Biome Fest | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Blind Spots | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Dreiton | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Haunt Muskie | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Taswell | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Key | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Subwoofer Lullaby | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Living Mice | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Haggstrom | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Minecraft | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Oxygène | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Mice on Venus | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Dry Hands | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Wet Hands | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Clark | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Sweden | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Danny | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Left to Bloom | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| One More Day | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Floating Dream | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Comforting Memories | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| A Familiar Room | 1 | 3.03% | — | — | |
| Featherfall | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Watcher | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Puzzlebox | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| komorebi | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| yakusoku | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Lilypad | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Below and Above | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| O's Piano | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Broken Clocks | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
| Fireflies | 1 | 3.03% | 1 | 3.13% | |
Data values
ID
| Name | Identifier | Translation key |
|---|---|---|
 Snowy plains | snowy_plains |
biome |
| Name | Identifier | Numeric ID |
|---|---|---|
| [No displayed name] | ice_plains | 12 |
Biome definition
Press "show" to display json contents
{
"attributes": {
"minecraft:gameplay/creature_world_gen_spawn_probability": 0.07,
"minecraft:gameplay/natural_mob_spawns": {
"argument": {
"spawn_costs": {},
"spawns_by_category": {
"ambient": [
{
"type": "minecraft:bat",
"count": 8,
"weight": 10
}
],
"creature": [
{
"type": "minecraft:rabbit",
"count": {
"type": "minecraft:uniform",
"max_inclusive": 3,
"min_inclusive": 2
},
"weight": 10
},
{
"type": "minecraft:polar_bear",
"count": {
"type": "minecraft:uniform",
"max_inclusive": 2,
"min_inclusive": 1
},
"weight": 1
}
],
"monster": [
{
"type": "minecraft:spider",
"count": 4,
"weight": 100
},
{
"type": "minecraft:zombie",
"count": 4,
"weight": 90
},
{
"type": "minecraft:zombie_villager",
"count": 1,
"weight": 5
},
{
"type": "minecraft:zombie_horse",
"count": 1,
"weight": 5
},
{
"type": "minecraft:skeleton",
"count": 4,
"weight": 20
},
{
"type": "minecraft:creeper",
"count": 4,
"weight": 100
},
{
"type": "minecraft:slime",
"count": 4,
"weight": 100
},
{
"type": "minecraft:enderman",
"count": {
"type": "minecraft:uniform",
"max_inclusive": 4,
"min_inclusive": 1
},
"weight": 10
},
{
"type": "minecraft:witch",
"count": 1,
"weight": 5
},
{
"type": "minecraft:stray",
"count": 4,
"weight": 80
}
],
"underground_water_creature": [
{
"type": "minecraft:glow_squid",
"count": {
"type": "minecraft:uniform",
"max_inclusive": 6,
"min_inclusive": 4
},
"weight": 10
}
]
}
},
"modifier": "overlay"
},
"minecraft:visual/sky_color": "#7fa1ff"
},
"carvers": [
"minecraft:cave",
"minecraft:cave_extra_underground",
"minecraft:canyon"
],
"downfall": 0.5,
"effects": {
"water_color": "#3f76e4"
},
"features": [
[],
[
"minecraft:lake_lava_underground",
"minecraft:lake_lava_surface"
],
[
"minecraft:amethyst_geode"
],
[
"minecraft:monster_room",
"minecraft:monster_room_deep"
],
[],
[],
[
"minecraft:ore_dirt",
"minecraft:ore_gravel",
"minecraft:ore_granite_upper",
"minecraft:ore_granite_lower",
"minecraft:ore_diorite_upper",
"minecraft:ore_diorite_lower",
"minecraft:ore_andesite_upper",
"minecraft:ore_andesite_lower",
"minecraft:ore_tuff",
"minecraft:ore_coal_upper",
"minecraft:ore_coal_lower",
"minecraft:ore_iron_upper",
"minecraft:ore_iron_middle",
"minecraft:ore_iron_small",
"minecraft:ore_gold",
"minecraft:ore_gold_lower",
"minecraft:ore_redstone",
"minecraft:ore_redstone_lower",
"minecraft:ore_diamond",
"minecraft:ore_diamond_medium",
"minecraft:ore_diamond_large",
"minecraft:ore_diamond_buried",
"minecraft:ore_lapis",
"minecraft:ore_lapis_buried",
"minecraft:ore_copper",
"minecraft:underwater_magma",
"minecraft:disk_sand",
"minecraft:disk_clay",
"minecraft:disk_gravel"
],
[],
[
"minecraft:spring_water",
"minecraft:spring_lava"
],
[
"minecraft:glow_lichen",
"minecraft:trees_snowy",
"minecraft:flower_default",
"minecraft:patch_grass_badlands",
"minecraft:brown_mushroom_normal",
"minecraft:red_mushroom_normal",
"minecraft:patch_pumpkin",
"minecraft:patch_sugar_cane",
"minecraft:patch_firefly_bush_near_water"
],
[
"minecraft:freeze_top_layer"
]
],
"has_precipitation": true,
"temperature": 0.0
}
Achievements
| Icon | Achievement | In-game description | Actual requirements (if different) | Gamerscore earned | Trophy type (PS) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PS4 | Other | |||||
 |  | Adventuring Time | Discover 17 biomes. | Visit any 17 biomes. Does not have to be in a single world. | 40 | Silver |
Advancements
| Icon | Advancement | In-game description | Actual requirements (if different) |
|---|---|---|---|
  | Adventuring Time | Discover every biome |
|
Videos
History
Java Edition
| Java Edition Alpha | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v1.2.0 | preview | Added biomes, including tundras with oak trees and frozen deserts; these largely supersede the preceding winter mode system. | |||||
| Java Edition Beta | |||||||
| 1.8 | Pre-release | Biomes have now received an overhaul, removing the tundra. See here for more details. | |||||
| Java Edition | |||||||
| 1.0.0 | September 15, 2011 | Markus Persson teased a screenshot of what he called "snow biomes".[1][2][3] | |||||
| Beta 1.9 Prerelease | Re-added tundras as ice plains. | ||||||
| Tundras have been renamed to ice plains. | |||||||
| Ice plains contain short grass. | |||||||
| 1.7.2 | 13w36a | Ice plains no longer contain oak trees. Instead, spruce trees generate. | |||||
| Ice plains are now required for the new "Adventuring Time" achievement. | |||||||
| 1.9 | 15w43a | Added igloos, which now generate in ice plains and snowy taigas. | |||||
| 1.10 | 16w20a | Polar bears and strays have now added; both now spawn in ice plains. | |||||
| Ice plains no longer spawn most passive mobs. | |||||||
| 1.13 | 18w19a | Renamed "Ice Plains" to "Snowy Tundra". | |||||
| pre5 | Changed the ID ice_flats to snowy_tundra. | ||||||
| 1.14 | 18w49a | Villages can now spawn in snowy tundras. These villages can be composed of packed ice and blue ice. | |||||
| 1.18 | 21w37a | Prior to the removal of numerical biome IDs, this biome's numerical ID was 12. | |||||
| 21w40a | "Snowy Tundra" has been renamed to "Snowy Plains". | ||||||
The ID snowy_tundra has been changed to snowy_plains. | |||||||
| 1.20 | 23w17a | "A Familiar Room" can now be played in snowy plains. | |||||
Bedrock Edition
| Pocket Edition Alpha | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| v0.1.0 | Added biomes, which includes small tundras without trees or short grass. | ||||||
| v0.9.0 | build 1 | Added the ice plains and ice plains spikes biomes and many others. | |||||
| Added short grass and spruce trees to ice plains. | |||||||
| v0.13.0 | build 1 | Added rabbits, which can now spawn in snowy plains biomes. | |||||
| v0.14.0 | build 1 | Chickens, cows, pigs and sheep now rarely spawn in snowy plains. | |||||
| v0.15.0 | build 1 | Added strays, which can now spawn in snowy plains biomes and variants. | |||||
| Villages can now generate in snowy plains biomes. | |||||||
| Pocket Edition | |||||||
| 1.0.0 | alpha 0.17.0.1 | Added igloos, which can now generate in snowy plains. | |||||
| Added polar bears, which can now spawn in snowy plains biomes and variants. | |||||||
| Bedrock Edition | |||||||
| ? | Chickens, cows, sheep and pigs no longer spawn in snowy plains biomes and variants. | ||||||
| Zombies, creepers, spiders, endermen, witches and spider jockeys no longer spawn in snowy plains and snowy mountains biomes. | |||||||
| 1.10.0 | beta 1.10.0.3 | Added pillager outposts, which can generate in snowy plains biomes. | |||||
| 1.21.90 | Preview 1.21.90.26 | Added cold color grading and lighting to snowy plains with Vibrant Visuals. | |||||
| 1.21.100 | Preview 1.21.100.20 | Trees now generate more frequently. | |||||
| 26.50 | Preview 26.50.22 | Bats now spawn in snowy plains. | |||||
| Upcoming Bedrock Edition | |||||||
| 26.60 Experiment | Preview 26.60.29 | Added frostbites, which can spawn in snowy plains. | |||||
Legacy Console Edition
| Legacy Console Edition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xbox 360 | Xbox One | PS3 | PS4 | PS Vita | Wii U | Switch | |
| TU0 | CU1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | Patch 1 | 1.0.1 | Added biomes, including tundras. |
| TU5 | Biomes have received an overhaul, removing the tundra. | ||||||
| TU7 | Re-added tundras as ice plains. | ||||||
| Ice plains contains short grass. | |||||||
| TU25 | CU14 | 1.17 | 1.17 | 1.17 | Added the custom superflat biome selection menu, which refers to the biome as "Ice Flats". | ||
| TU43 | CU33 | 1.36 | 1.36 | 1.36 | Patch 13 | Added igloos and polar bears, which are both features of ice plains. | |
| TU46 | CU36 | 1.38 | 1.38 | 1.38 | Patch 15 | Added strays, which can now spawn in ice plains. | |
| 1.91 | Added pillager outposts, which can generate in snowy tundra biomes. | ||||||
New Nintendo 3DS Edition
| New Nintendo 3DS Edition | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1.0 | Added ice plains | ||||||
Issues
Issues relating to "Snowy Plains" or "Ice Plains" are maintained on the bug tracker. Issues should be reported and viewed there.
Gallery
Screenshots
-
A pumpkin patch in snowy plains -
The Snowy Village seed template thumbnail -
A snowy plains single biome world -
Naturally generated snowlogged vegetation in snowy plains.
Historical screenshots
-
An Ice Plains biome in Beta 1.9 after it was re-added for the new world generator -
An igloo on the shore of a frozen lake, with some polar bears -
A snowy tundra village reaching to the neighboring savanna -
A jungle edge and snowy tundra generated next to each other -
The old Snowy Village (seed preset) discontinued -
An old frozen river running through a snowy plains biome. -
The Snow Day (seed preset) discontinued in 1.9.0 -
A snowy plains single biome world before 1.18 -
A snowy tundra with ray tracing
Mojang screenshots
-
The image teased by Notch of snowy biomes. -
Several ice biomes in java and bedrock
In other media
-
Ari underneath a snowy plains, as monsters roam above -
Artwork of a snowy village -
A bamboo sherpa decorated with a snowy plains and its residents
See also
References
- ↑ "Snow biomes! SNOOOOW!" – @notch (Markus Persson) on X (formerly Twitter), September 14, 2011
- ↑ "Pretty! http://imgur.com/5Gsyy?full" – @notch (Markus Persson) on X (formerly Twitter), September 15, 2011
- ↑ http://imgur.com/5Gsyy?full
External links
- "Around the Block: Snowy Tundra" by Duncan Geere – Minecraft.net, October 2, 2020.
