The Rockies have a cold steppe climate with everlasting snow in the higher areas. The weather can change rapidly depending on altitude and latitude of the region. The windward side gets more rain than the leeward side. In general the summers are warm and dry but mountain rain and thunderstorms can occur, while winters are very cold with a lot of rain and snow.
Climate in the Rockies varies from the frozen wastelands of Alaska in the north to sunny Mexico in the south. The Rockies affect the climate of the North American continent by acting as a barrier to rain bearing winds. As a result, in the south the climate tends to be dry, especially in the rain-shadow valleys. The San Luis Valley in Colorado, for example, has a mountain-desert climate and is one of the driest areas of the Rockies. The Northern Rockies tend to receive rain and snow more evenly throughout the year from Pacific cyclonic storms.
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