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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 Alps are split into five climatic zones, each with different vegetation. The climate, plant life, and animal life vary among the different sections or zones of the mountains. The lowest zone is the colline zone, which exists between 500 and 1,000 m (1,600 and 3,300 ft), depending on the location.
While smaller groups within the Alps may be easily defined by the passes on either side, defining larger units can be problematic. A traditional divide exists between the Western Alps and the Eastern Alps, which uses the Splügen Pass (Italian: Passo dello Spluga) on the Swiss-Italian border, together with the Rhine to the north and Lake Como in the south as the defining features.
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.
Alpine climate is the typical climate for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate . Definition
The glacier lies above the Chamonix valley. The pressure within the ice is known to reach at least 30 atmospheres. [3] The Mer de Glace can be considered as originating at an elevation of 2,100 metres (6,900 ft), just north of the Aiguille du Tacul [], where it is formed by the confluence of the Glacier de Leschaux [] and the Glacier du Tacul [].
They might find there's no escape. Rising temperatures in European mountain ranges are increasingly making for an unpredictable ski season, and might hurt wealthy buyers' investments.
The ecoregion extends from the lower slopes of the Alps to its peaks, which include Mont Blanc, at 4,809 m (15,778 ft) the highest peak in the Alps. The Alps forests are at the transition between the Mediterranean climate regions of southern Europe and the more humid and temperate Euro-Siberian region of western, central, and northern Europe. [2]