Increased snow growing Himalayan glaciers in spite of warming temperatures

By on October 29, 2014
Near the Hopper glacier in the Himalayas (Credit: bongo vongo, via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)

Near the Hopper glacier in the Himalayas (Credit: bongo vongo, via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)


Scientists say Asia’s glaciers are growing instead of shrinking as a result of increased snow, according to a report from Live Science. The glaciers in the Karakoram region of the Himalayas have remained uniform in spite of climbing temperatures and melting glaciers elsewhere.

To determine the cause of the glaciers’ resilience, the research team paired current temperatures and precipitation data with climate models for three regions within the Himalayas.

They found that Karakoram’s location ensures that it receives large amounts of snow during the winter. The researchers speculate that the snow will help keep the glaciers stable until 2100. But if temperatures continue to rise, glaciers may begin to melt. The researchers believe their study will increase knowledge about regional differences involving climate change.

Image: Near the Hopper glacier in the Himalayas (Credit: bongo vongo, via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0)

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