Snow is a defining feature of mountain ranges, and of winter itself for much of the world. But beyond its scenic value, snow plays a vital role in mountain ecosystems, as well as a range of human socioeconomic activity, and it is one of the climatic elements most sensitive to global warming. In recent decades, its quantity, duration and behaviour have all changed significantly.
Snow varies a lot, both in terms of where and when it appears. In the mountains of the Iberia peninsula, winters can be abundantly snowy, or have almost no snow at all.
