2.1.1 Introduction

Why do certain parts of the world receive a lot of snow while other places at similar latitudes are arid? The difference is due to climate, climate being the set of meteorological conditions that prevail in a particular place over a long period of time.

Climate is determined by a wide range of factors at the global, regional, and local scales. Examples are displayed on the graphic.

View of Earth with insets for the three levels of climate drivers (mesoscale and synoptic- and global-scale)

In this section, we will describe the types of snowpack found throughout the world and examine the global-scale factors that create and impact snowpack.