Why the Autumn Trekking Period Became Deadly in the Himalayas
Clear skies, gentle winds and a breathtaking view of Himalayan peaks covered in white powder - that is the fall experience that trekkers on Mount Everest have come to love.
But that seems to be shifting.
Changing Climate Conditions
Weather experts say the monsoon now extends into fall, which is traditionally the high-altitude tourism season.
During this prolonged tail end of monsoon, they have recorded at least one episode of heavy precipitation almost every year for the previous decade, with mountain conditions becoming increasingly risky.
Latest Crisis on Everest
Recently, a shock snowstorm stranded hundreds of tourists near the east-facing side of Mount Everest for multiple days in bitterly cold temperatures at an altitude of more than 16,000ft.
Nearly six hundred trekkers were led to safety by the conclusion of that week, according to sources.
One individual had succumbed from extreme cold and altitude sickness, but the others were said to be in stable condition.
Comparable Incidents Across the Region
This was on the northern side but something similar had unfolded on the southern slope, where a South Korean climber lost his life on another Himalayan summit.
The international community learned much later because communications were hit by heavy downpours and significant snow accumulation.
Officials calculate that mudslides and flash floods in the region have killed around sixty individuals over the previous seven days.
"This is highly atypical for autumn when we anticipate the weather to stay calm," commented an experienced mountain guide.
Economic Consequences
Given this is the preferred season, regular extreme weather events like these have "hampered our trekking and climbing industry," he continued.
The monsoon season in northern India and Nepal typically lasts from early summer to mid-September, but not anymore.
"Research shows that the majority of the years in the previous ten years have had rainy seasons continuing until the middle of October, which is certainly a shift," said a senior meteorology official.
Increasing Weather Extremes
Even more worrying is the heavy rain and snowfall the tail end of the period produces, like it occurred this time on early October.
At elevation in the mountain range, such severe weather means blizzards and winter storms, which constitutes a significant risk for trekking, climbing and the travel industry.
Personal Accounts
That's what occurred last weekend when the weather shifted quite abruptly - the air currents began roaring, temperatures dropped sharply and visibility decreased significantly.
The path that had easily brought the hikers to what should have been a breathtaking pitstop was now buried in snow and impossible to traverse.
Nevertheless, one trekker, who had hiked the Himalayas more than a twelve times, said he had "never experienced conditions like these" before.
Expert Explanations
A primary major factor is the higher amount of moisture in the atmosphere because of how the world has been warming, scientists explain.
This has led to torrential rains over a short span of time, frequently after a prolonged period without rain – unlike in the past when seasonal rains were distributed uniformly over the entire season.
A Turbocharged Monsoon
Weather specialists say the monsoons in the region at occasions appear to have become stronger because they are more frequently interacting with another weather system, the western weather pattern.
The phenomenon is a low pressure system that forms in the Mediterranean region and moves eastward - it transports chillier temperatures that causes rains and occasionally snow to northern India, Pakistan and the Himalayan region.
Climate Warming Effects
Researchers have also found that in a heating planet, the increasing interaction between western weather systems and seasonal rains is causing another unusual result.
The hotter air is pushing the clouds to greater altitudes, which indicates these weather systems are now able to cross the mountain barrier and reach Tibet and other regions that did not see as much rain before.
"The transformation is the predictability of weather patterns; we cannot presume that situations will behave the same from year to year," said an experienced mountain guide.
"This implies flexible planning, immediate decision-making, and knowledgeable guidance [in the Himalayas] have become even more essential."
