Why the Autumn Trekking Season Became Deadly in the Himalayan Mountains

Clear skies, calm winds and a panoramic vista of majestic peaks draped in white powder - this describes the autumn experience that hikers on Mount Everest have grown to adore.

But this seems to be shifting.

Changing Weather Patterns

Meteorologists indicate the monsoon now extends into autumn, which is historically the high-altitude travel period.

Throughout this delayed tail end of monsoon, they have recorded at least one occurrence of heavy rainfall almost every year for the previous ten years, with mountain conditions becoming more risky.

Latest Crisis on Everest

Last weekend, a unexpected snowstorm trapped hundreds of tourists near the eastern face of Everest for multiple days in freezing conditions at an altitude of more than 16,000ft.

Approximately 600 hikers were led to security by the end of that week, according to sources.

One person had died from extreme cold and altitude sickness, but the others were said to be in stable health.

Similar Events Across the Region

This was on the northern side but something similar had developed on the Nepal side, where a Korean climber died on Mera Peak.

The world found out much later because communication lines were disrupted by heavy downpours and heavy snowfall.

Authorities estimate that landslides and sudden floods in the country have claimed the lives of approximately 60 individuals over the previous week.

"This is very unusual for autumn when we anticipate the weather to stay clear," commented an experienced mountain guide.

Economic Impact

Given this is the preferred season, regular extreme weather events like this have "hampered our mountaineering and climbing industry," he added.

The monsoon season in the Indian subcontinent and the Himalayan nation usually lasts from June to mid-September, but not anymore.

"Our data indicates that most of the years in the past ten years have had monsoons lasting until the second week of October, which is definitely a change," explained a high-ranking weather expert.

Growing Weather Extremes

More worrying is the intense precipitation and snowfall the tail end of the period produces, like it did this time on 4 and 5 October.

At elevation in the Himalayas, such severe weather means snowstorms and winter storms, which represents a significant danger for hiking, mountaineering and tourism.

Personal Experiences

Exactly what happened recently when the conditions shifted quite suddenly - the winds began roaring, temperatures plummeted and sightlines decreased significantly.

The path that had easily brought the trekkers to what was expected to be a stunning pitstop was now covered in white accumulation and impossible to traverse.

Still, one trekker, who had hiked the Himalayas more than a twelve occasions, said he had "not once experienced weather like these" before.

Expert Explanations

A primary major factor is the increased quantity of humidity in the air because of how the planet has been warming, scientists explain.

That has led to heavy precipitation over a short span of duration, often after a extended period without rain – in contrast to in the past when seasonal rains were distributed evenly over the entire season.

A Turbocharged Monsoon

Climate specialists say the rainy seasons in the region at occasions seem to have become more intense because they are more frequently coming into contact with an additional weather system, the western weather pattern.

The phenomenon is a low pressure system that originates in the Mediterranean region and moves east - it transports cold air that causes rains and sometimes snowfall to the subcontinent, neighboring countries and the Himalayan region.

Global Change Effects

Scientists have also found that in a heating world, the increasing interaction between western weather systems and monsoons is causing an additional unusual outcome.

The hotter air is pushing the weather systems to greater altitudes, which indicates these atmospheric conditions are now capable to cross the Himalayas and affect Tibet and additional areas that previously experienced less so much rain in the past.

"The transformation is the predictability of weather patterns; we cannot presume that conditions will behave the identical from season to season," commented an seasoned expedition leader.

"This implies adaptable planning, immediate decision-making, and knowledgeable guidance [in the Himalayas] have become even more important."