Why is there snow on mountains close to the equator?

This happens because at higher elevations (i.e. high up in mountains), the temperature is colder. The elevation at which you can get snow is called the “snow line.” The closer you get to the equator, the warmer it tends to be, so the higher the snow line is.

Can it snow in the tropics?

The equator crosses the southern slope of Cayambe at an elevation of 15,387 feet, just above the snowline. So there is indeed a part of the equator where you can make a snow angel year-round. For many centuries, people were skeptical that it was possible to find snow and ice in tropical climes.

Why is there snow on top of mountains above clouds?

Cloud altitude will vary with air pressure, winds, temperature, moisture content, etc. Some of the snow cover may be frost from moisture condensing, but most is from the usual sort of snowfall. When snow falls at higher altitudes, it may never get warm enough to melt.

Where does it snow near the equator?

The mountain itself poses almost no altitude limits – Cayambe, a volcano in Ecuador reaches to 5,790 meters. The interesting aspect of Cayambe is not that it is high. It is not even as high as some of its neighbours in Ecuador. But Cayambe is the only place on the equator that has snow.

Why does Ecuador have snow?

With a tropical climate, Ecuador can generally be classed as warm and wet – although conditions vary depending on region and elevation. Owing to the high temperatures experienced across much of the country, snow only falls on Ecuador’s mountain tops.

Why there is snow on mountains?

Technically speaking, the snow falling on mountains and other cold regions is actually just frozen water. It is formed of tiny crystals of frozen water and looks a bit like small pieces of cotton. On account of its low weight, water vapor rises higher in the atmosphere and transforms into clouds.

How does snow get on mountains?

The moist wind is forced to rise when it hits a mountain. Rising air expands due to lower pressure, and this expanding air cools, allowing the moisture to condense into the snow. And that, drumbeat please, results in snow. The climate of California is maritime, meaning that it is close to an ocean moisture source.

Why some place have snow?

Why do some places have more snow than others This is an easy question to answer: some places have more snow because the air is colder for longer periods of time AND there is a larger amount of water vapor in the air than there is in other places.

Why does it snow at the top of mountains?

The higher the elevation the thinner the air and the colder it gets relative to sea level. 1. In Troposphere temperature decrease with increase in altitude. Hence the top of the mountains temperature is below freezing point upto -50 degrees. Therefore snow cover taes place. 2.

Does it snow in the tropics?

Freshwater biomes can exist in the tropics or the arctic. Thus in some it does snow and in others it never snows. Is there snow on the equator? It does not snow on the equator except at very high altitudes, where snow is restricted by the reduced convection at cool temperatures.

How cold does it get at the top of mountains?

The higher up you travel the colder it gets (about 3 degrees Fahrenheit per 1000 feet climbed, or around 5 degrees celsius for every kilometer), so right at the top of the mountain it will be much colder that at the base of the mountain.Even in the summer, on the hottest days, almost all precipitation begins as snow.

What is the altitude of the snow line in the tropics?

Variations in the altitude of the snow line are caused by the relative location of the nearest coastline and the latitude. At the Equator the snow line is at 4500 m and at the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn can be as high as 5700 m. Is buenos aires in the tropics?