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There are multiple definitions of alpine climate. In the Köppen climate classification, the alpine and mountain climates are part of group E, along with the polar climate, where no month has a mean temperature higher than 10 °C (50 °F). [1] According to the Holdridge life zone system, there are two mountain climates which prevent tree growth :
A number of locations around the Earth have alpine climate. The climate of some of these locations is described, below. For tropical oceanic locations, such as the summit of Mauna Loa, elev. 13,679 ft (4,169 m), the temperature is roughly constant throughout the year:
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are A (tropical), B (arid), C (temperate), D (continental), and E (polar).
The climate of the Alps is the climate, or average weather conditions over a long period of time, of the exact middle Alpine region of Europe. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] As air rises from sea level to the upper regions of the atmosphere the temperature decreases .
The Alpine region area contains 128 peaks higher than 4,000 m (13,000 ft). The altitude and size of the range affect the climate in Europe; in the mountains, precipitation levels vary greatly and climatic conditions consist of distinct zones.
An alpine tree line is the highest elevation that sustains trees; higher up it is too cold, or the snow cover lasts for too much of the year, to sustain trees. [2]: 151 The climate above the tree line of mountains is called an alpine climate, [14]: 21 and the habitat can be described as the alpine zone. [15]
Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alpine tundra gets lower until it reaches sea level, and alpine tundra merges with polar tundra .
All the ranges in the Alpine region have high altitude, rugged terrain and a relatively cold and harsh climate. The mountains all have the same zones of vegetation, but further north the low temperature zones are found lower down. On the lower slopes there are forests and grasslands.