latitute
Temperature falls from the equator to the poles. Therefore, major temperature zones are based on latitude . They include tropical, temperate, and arctic zones see Figure below . However, other factors besides latitude may also influence temperature. For example, land near the ocean may have cooler summers and warmer winters than land farther inland. This is because water gains and loses heat more slowly than does land, and the water temperature influences the temperature on the coast. Temperature also falls from lower to higher altitudes. Thats why tropical zone mountain tops may be capped with snow.