ABSTRACT
Mountains and high plateaus cover at least a quarter of the earth's land surface and yet their climates are very little known, particularly in South America and in Asia. This chapter outlines the broad patterns of temperature and precipitation regimes, the elements that are most commonly measured in mountain areas, and examines the effects of mountain terrain on these and other climatic characteristics. Examination of a map of global relief shows that there are two distinctive groups of mountain system: the north-south mountain chains of western North America and western South America and the extensive east-west chains of Central Asia with intervening high plateau areas. The chapter provides an overview of our knowledge of some of the primary climatic elements in mountain areas and examines the atmospheric aspects of high mountains. The effect of increased atmospheric transparency is noticeable in terms of the ultraviolet radiation, with a much greater risk of sunburn at high altitudes.
