How Glaciers form

Glaciers are found in cold places, such as high mountains. At the top of a glacier, known as the accumulation zone, layers of snow collect and become packed down into hard, solid ice. As more snow falls on top, the mass of ice gets heavier, until it starts to move down the mountain.

As the ice gradually flows downhill, it gets warmer, because the air is warmer lower down. At the lower end, called the ablation zone, the glacier melts and the icy cold water, known as melt water, flows into streams and rivers

Picture taken from http://piru.alexandria.ucsb.edu/collections/geography3b/deblij/deblij45-3.jpg