The unique location of the Alps allows for the interplay of several factors that have resulted in huge variations in climate here. Different types of winds converge and play a prominent role in the daily weather and microclimate conditions of the Alps.
Four kinds of wind influence the climate on the Alps. Mild, moist air of the Atlantic pours in from the west. Cool polar air blows down from northern Europe. Continental air masses, that are cold and dry in winter and hot in summer, play a big role in the eastern regions of the mountains, and from the south, warm Mediterranean air flows northward into the Alps.
Daily weather on the Alps is also influenced by the location and passage of cyclonic storms, as well as the direction of the winds as they pass over the mountains.
The Alps are split into 5 climatic zones in which the weather varies: The colline zone lies between 500 m and 100 m. The montane zone lies between 800 m and 1.700 m. The sub-alpine zone is found between 1,600 m and 2,400 m, while the alpine zone extends from the treeline to the snowline. The glacial zone covers the glaciated areas of the mountains.
Picture Credit : Google
