Nepal has one of the world’s most varied climates for its size because elevation rises from the subtropical lowlands to the high Himalaya. Using the Köppen-Geiger classification, the country spans tropical monsoon, humid subtropical, temperate highland, and alpine mountain climates, with temperate climates covering much of the country by area. For residents and expats, this means hot, humid summers in the southern plains, mild-to-cool conditions in the middle hills, and cold, snowy winters at higher elevations. The climate is strongly shaped by the summer monsoon, so most places receive the bulk of their annual rainfall between June and September.