Westerly winds from the Atlantic Ocean carry moisture into the region, but the Atlas Mountains act as a weather barrier between coastal grasslands and wetlands and the Sahara Desert.
The Anti-Atlas Mountains of northern Africa and the nearby Atlas mountains were created by the prolonged collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates, beginning about 80 million years ago.
The red and orange tones of autumn had faded to brown in the mountains of New York and Vermont when this true color image was taken on November 8, 2009. The contrast between the green and gold valleys and brown mountains help reveal the unique geography of the region.
This photo-like image paints a picture of the movement of air and weather over the Ural Mountains in southern Russia, with the western mountains covered with snow and the eastern plain dry. The image also illustrates the influence of the mountains on cloud formations.
The mountains around the town of Barberton, South Africa, are rich in both history and prehistory. Referred to as the Barberton Greenstone, these mountains derive their name from their greenish hue, and they comprise what may be the world’s best-known greenstone belt.