Melting Heights: Everest Faces Shrinking Snow Line

The snow cover atop Mount Everest has receded by 150 meters due to a lack of accumulation in the winter of 2024-2025. This retreat is linked to warmer and drier conditions observed in recent winters. Glaciologist Mauri Pelto's analysis highlights the impact of climate change on the iconic peak.

Recent research indicates that snow cover atop Mount Everest has retreated by 150 meters, signaling a deficit in snow accumulation during the winter of 2024-2025. This change aligns with a warming trend, as analyzed through NASA satellite images.

Glaciologist Mauri Pelto, from Nichols College, noted snow lines rising in 2024 and 2025, linked to warmer, drier conditions seen in recent winters, which have led to reduced snow cover and forest fires in the region. The average snow line in January 2025 was 6,100 meters, much higher than in previous months.

Pelto attributes this shift to sublimation, where ice evaporates directly, causing significant glacier mass loss and retreat. Additional environmental impacts include extreme drought in Nepal, with conditions remaining dry through January 2025, contributing to the persistent high snow lines on Everest.

(With inputs from agencies.)