Why is there snow at the top of the mountain but not at the base?

Answer 1

At high altitudes, such as at the top of a mountain, the air temperature is colder, and as a result, snow is able to stay there without melting. But as you go farther down the mountain, the air temperature gets warmer, and any snow that has fallen will melt.

Answer 2

Because a mountain has different temperatures. The higher you go the colder it gets. So at the very bottom it may be 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but all the way at the peak of the mountain it would be 30 Degrees Fahrenheit. Since the freezing temperature is 31 Degrees Fahrenheit it can snow at 30 Degrees Fahrenheit, but not at 80 Degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore it would rain at the bottom of the mountain, because it is not yet freezing temperature. But it would snow at the top of the mountain because it is either at freezing temperature or below.

Answer 3

When you go up in elevation, it gets colder. If a mountain is high enough, snow will fall and remain on the mountain and may even remain throughout the year (this is called a glacier). Mountains that are high enough (generally over 15,000 feet) can have glaciers near the equator, while mountains at mid-latitudes might not have snow on them if they aren't high enough.