Himalayas is one of the world’s biggest deposits of ice and a key source of fresh water. But with increasing global warming, how long can it keep up with its status? A new weather station is expected to show the extent of warming in the Himalayas.
It is in the Everest region of Nepal, the weather station has been installed on the longest Himalayan glacier. And over the years, there have been numerous reports of glacial retreats in the Himalayas. But, but this weather station will also be able to quantify changes to the local climate.
Temperatures in the Himalayas have been found to be rising at a rate of 0.06C per year, revealing that melting glaciers have been filling glacial lakes more rapidly. Among 3,250 glaciers in the Nepalese Himalayas, 2,315 of contain glacial lakes that are increasing in size at varying rates. But, what are the exact causes and dynamics of such melting? This is still unknown.
Via: BBC News