Semiarid deserts can be found in Utah, the Great Basin and Montana. Similar to hot deserts, the summers are fairly long and dry, and the winters typically bring low amounts of precipitation. The typical summertime temperature ranges from 21 to 27°C. The typical temperature does not rise above 38°C, and night lows are around 10°C. Rainfall is rare or concentrated, much like in the hot desert. Rainfall varies from 2 to 4 cm on average per year.

Coastal deserts are regions with moderately cool to warm areas, such as the Atacama of Chile. Summer temperatures range from 13-24°C, and winter temperatures vary from 5°C or below. In many areas the average precipitation is 8-13 mm.

Cold deserts are situated at higher altitudes locations, arid areas receiving minimal rainfall. Antarctica, Arctic, and areas in the north of Canada are all cold deserts. Cold deserts are also known as polar deserts, with long cold winters and temperatures below 0°C.