🔗 Share this article Why the Fall Trekking Period Became Lethal in the Himalayan Mountains Fall hiking season is more and more seeing severe weather Clear skies, calm breezes and a breathtaking view of Himalayan peaks draped in snow - that is the fall experience that trekkers on Mount Everest have come to love. But that appears to be transforming. Shifting Weather Patterns Weather experts report the rainy season now stretches into autumn, which is historically the mountain travel period. During this delayed tail end of the rainy season, they have recorded at least one instance of heavy precipitation nearly every year for the past ten years, with high-altitude weather becoming increasingly dangerous. Recent Crisis on Everest Recently, a sudden snowstorm stranded hundreds of tourists near the east-facing side of Everest for days in freezing temperatures at an elevation of more than 16,000ft. Approximately 600 hikers were escorted to security by the conclusion of that week, according to sources. One person had died from extreme cold and altitude sickness, but the others were said to be in good health. Comparable Events Across the Region The emergency was on the northern slope but something similar had developed on the southern side, where a South Korean climber lost his life on Mera Peak. The world learned after some delay because communication lines were hit by heavy downpours and significant snow accumulation. Authorities calculate that mudslides and flash floods in the country have claimed the lives of approximately 60 people over the past week. "This is highly atypical for autumn during which we expect the skies to stay calm," commented an experienced mountain guide. Business Impact Given autumn represents the preferred period, frequent storms like this have "disrupted our mountaineering and climbing business," he continued. The rainy period in the Indian subcontinent and Nepal typically lasts from early summer to early autumn, but no longer. "Our data shows that the majority of the years in the previous decade have had monsoons continuing until the second week of autumn, which is certainly a shift," explained a senior meteorology expert. Growing Weather Severity More worrying is the intense rain and snowfall the tail end of the season produces, like it occurred this time on 4 and 5 October. High in the mountain range, such extreme weather translates to blizzards and snowstorms, which constitutes a significant risk for trekking, mountaineering and tourism. A blizzard recently trapped hundreds of tourists near the eastern side of Everest Personal Experiences Exactly what occurred recently when the conditions changed very suddenly - the winds began roaring, mercury readings plummeted and sightlines decreased drastically. The road that had comfortably led the trekkers to what should have been a breathtaking resting point was now covered in snow and impossible to navigate. Still, one trekker, who had hiked these mountains more than a twelve times, reported he had "not once encountered weather like these" before. Scientific Explanations A primary big driver is the higher amount of moisture in the air because of how the planet has been warming, researchers explain. This has led to heavy precipitation over a brief period of time, frequently after a extended dry spell – in contrast to in the previous era when seasonal rains were spread uniformly over the entire season. Mudslides and sudden floods in the region over the past several days have claimed many people A Intensified Monsoon Weather specialists say the rainy seasons in South Asia at occasions appear to have become more intense because they are increasingly coming into contact with another atmospheric phenomenon, the western weather pattern. The phenomenon is a atmospheric depression that originates in the Mediterranean area and moves eastward - it carries cold air that brings rains and sometimes snowfall to the subcontinent, neighboring countries and Nepal. Global Warming Impacts Scientists have also discovered that in a heating planet, the increasing relationship between western weather systems and seasonal rains is causing another atypical outcome. The hotter air is pushing the weather systems to greater altitudes, which means these weather systems are now capable to pass over the mountain barrier and reach the Tibetan plateau and other areas that did not see so much rain in the past. "The transformation is the reliability of weather patterns; we cannot presume that conditions will behave the same from year to year," said an seasoned mountain leader. "This implies flexible planning, immediate decision-making, and experienced leadership [in the Himalayas] have become even more important."