Why do some mountains have snow year-round near the equator?
Quick Answer
High mountains near the equator stay cold because temperature drops with altitude, not just latitude. If the summit rises above the local snow line, snow and ice can persist all year.
The Full Story
Air gets colder with height at an average environmental lapse rate of about 6.5 °C per 1,000 meters. That means a mountain high enough can have near-freezing conditions even in the tropics. The snow line is the altitude above which snow can survive through the warm season, and it rises and falls with climate and humidity. Mountains such as Kilimanjaro and the high Andes have had perennial snow and glaciers because their summits reach into much colder air. In recent decades, however, many tropical glaciers have been shrinking as temperatures rise.
Key Facts
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