snow level

The altitude above which precipitation falls in the form of snow. There is considerable confusion regarding this concept, as it is common to identify it with the elevation above which snow settles on the ground. The fact that, in a given area, a snow level of 700 meters is forecast (for example), does not mean that snow will accumulate on the ground, forming the characteristic blanket, in every location whose elevation coincides with that level. There are critical factors, such as ground temperature, that dictate the final distribution of the snow cover over the terrain.