What’s it like there?

Also known as “Alpine zones” the Highland designation is a sort of “catch all” classification within the Köppen climate system. What all of these regions have in common is that they are located at high altitudes. The high altitudes and mountainous topography play a huge role in the climatic conditions of these regions and as such they are highly variable. In general, temperatures are much lower and precipitation levels are higher in these mountainous regions than the climate regions by which these elevated areas are surrounded. Within the U.S. this designation is found mostly in the Sierra Nevada, Cascade, and Rocky Mountains.