Climate on north- and south-facing slopes

Figure 14. The angle of the sun on these opposite-facing slopes creates different climates. (Photograph by Dirk Frankenberg. More about the photograph)

Figure 14 shows the interior of a higher elevation forest showing the abundance of birches and beeches that typify the northern hardwoods community. This photo also shows and interesting feature of climate differences on north and south facing slopes. The slope on the right faces north, and retains the snow from the first storm; the slope on the left faces south, and the snow that fell there has already melted. The photograph was taken in the late afternoon and therefore also shows the difference that low sun angle makes on the different slopes. The south-facing slope has dramatically greater sun angle, and therefore illumination and warmth, than the north-facing slope where the suns rays are almost parallel to the surface.

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