Snow is a major element in humid continental climates. Snow cover has a chilling effect on climate. Snow strongly reflects solar radiation back into space, lowering daytime temperatures. Snow also efficiently sends out infrared radiation, lowering nighttime temperatures. Freezes can occur even in midsummer.
Most precipitation falls in the summer.
Snow comes early in the fall and lasts on the ground into early summer. Tundra climates Tundra climates are dry, with a brief, chilly summer and a bitterly cold winter. Icecap climates Icecap climates are the coldest on earth. Summer temperatures rarely rise above the freezing point. Temperatures are extremely low during the long, dark winter.