Snow line

The actual snow line may adjust seasonally, and be either significantly higher in elevation, or lower.

The snow line is measured using automatic cameras, aerial photographs, or satellite images.

[3] The interplay of elevation and latitude affects the precise placement of the snow line at a particular location.

Beyond the Tropics, the snow line becomes progressively lower as the latitude increases, to just below 3,000 metres (9,800 ft) in the Alps and falling all the way to sea level itself at the ice caps near the poles.

[citation needed] In addition, the relative location to the nearest coastline can influence the elevation of the snow line.

Areas near a coast might have a lower snow line than areas of the same elevation and latitude situated in a landmass interior due to more winter snowfall and because the average summer temperature of the surrounding lowlands would be warmer away from the sea.

(This applies even in the tropics, since areas far from the sea will have larger diurnal temperature ranges and potentially less moisture, as observed with Kilimanjaro and presently glacier-free Mount Meru.)

[citation needed] Furthermore, large-scale oceanic currents such as the North Atlantic Current can have significant effects over large areas (in this case warming northern Europe, extending even to some Arctic Ocean regions).