#snow level

Landscape Language

Snow level (noun) – The altitude at which snow turns to rain

Can you spot the snow level in this photo of Eagle Peak? Snow level, the altitude at which snow turns to rain, is easy to confuse with freezing level. Freezing level is the point at which precipitation falling from the much colder upper atmosphere warms to the temperature of freezing: 32 degrees F. Why aren’t freezing level and snow level the same? Below freezing level, snow starts to melt but it takes time to fully melt. When snow becomes rain, that is the snow level. On average, there can be about 1,000 feet (300 m) between freezing level and snow level! Longmire is often right on the edge of snow level.