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Mountain climate
The special climate experienced in mountains due to their height. Most mountains have a wetter climate
on the side facing the prevailing wind and a dry, sometimes desert climate on the lee, or rain- shadow, side.
Mountains are also notorious for their extremely variable weather. This usually applies to places above 1,300m.
(For other features of mountain weather see: Adret; Aspect; Foehn; Friagem; Mountain and valley winds; Orographic effect; and Windward.)
Mountain and valley winds
Mountain and
valley winds
Local winds experienced in mountain areas on a daily basis during clear weather. They are due to the different amounts of heat received, or lost, by the mountains and valleys.
Mountain winds blow down to the valleys at night; valley winds blow up towards the mountains during the day.
 Nimbostratus – Nimbostratus is the rain cloud that accompanies the passage of a warm front, so that the sky is full of cloud.
N
Nimbostratus
Thick layer clouds capable of producing rain. Nimbostratus clouds are formed at fronts, where a large bank of air is lifted up, forcing the uplifted air to cool.
The cooled air cannot hold all of its water as vapour, so the water vapour forms droplets at low levels and ice crystals at very high levels. As the gentle air currents waft water droplets into the upper levels of the cloud that contain ice,
the raindrops freeze onto the ice crystals, making them larger. These large crystals are then big enough to fall from the cloud. As they fall, they melt and turn into raindrops. Nimbostratus clouds do not have any thunder or lightning. Once thunder and lightning start, the clouds are called cumulonimbus.
 Mountain climate – The rapid variability of mountain weather is seen here. The pictures were taken just five minutes apart.
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