what causes water to evaporate
every fluid (pure) has a definite vapor pressure at a fixed temperature , now if any how the partial pressure of the fluid is less then the the vapor pressure of the fluid then the fluid starts evaporating to attain the partial pressure equal to the vapor pressure of the fluid, and then the equillibrium is reached and evaporation stops.
basically at the top of the fluid there is a random motion of the fluid molecule due to the difference between the addhesve and cohesive forces, some molecule say 'n' goes into the vapour phase and some strikes back say m such that n>m then after the above explained condition is achieved then the constraint m=n.
conclusion
whenever there is the fluid in liquid state is present then in that system partial pressure is exactly to the vapor pressure.
and whenever there is no fluid in liquid state is present then partial pressure is always less then the vapor pressure.
geographical context
let us consider two location having altitude h1 and h2 they both have the same temperature t0 in such case ice at high altitude there is less partial pressure of water vapour since it is very heavy so amount of evaporation is high in the h1 region then in the h2 region.