Characteristics and Changes in Air Temperature and Glacier’s Response on the North Slope of Mt. Qomolangma (Mt. Everest)

• DOI: 10.1657/1938-4246-43.1.147
• Publication Date: 2011-03-18T20:53:03Z
• Authors: Xingguo Yang; Tingjun Zhang; Dahe Qin; Shichang Kang; Xiang Qin
• Keywords: Elevation (ballistics); Automatic weather station

Weather and climatic conditions over the Himalaya regions are of great interest to scientific community at large. The objective this study is present spatial temporal variations air temperatures relative humidity on north slope Mt. Qomolangma. Both hourly were measured seven automatic weather stations (AWS) from 5207 7028 m a.s.l. May 2007 through September 2008. Long-term (1959–2007) temperature precipitation data obtained Dingri Meteorological Station. preliminary results show that elevational gradient mean annual non-linear, which decreases 0.2 °C an elevation −4.4 5792 m, −5.4 5955 m. maxima 14.6, 9.1, 18.6 °C, minima −24.2, −28.8, −29.3 three elevations, respectively. does not change significantly with increasing except glacier ice, but mixing ratio due decrease in temperature. diurnal ranges elevation. daily maximum occurs later high-elevation site than low because affected a large extent by downward warm near ablation zone during daytime. moisture content reflects pronounced alternation wet dry seasons, highest water vapor associated southwesterly Indian monsoon. surface temperature–elevation 0.72 ± 0.01 (100 m)−1, also shows seasonal signature. Mean have increased about 0.62 per decade last 49 years region; greatest warming trend observed winter, smallest summer. Warmer been since mid-1980s. Additional studies shown reduction 1960s resulted net snow accumulation. Therefore, accelerated retreat Rongbuk Glacier 1980s may be caused rising decreased precipitation.