University of Leeds researchers to investigate melting snow at high altitudes of Mount Everest

Climbing Beyond Everest Base Camp: A team of glaciologists from the University of Leeds and Aberystwyth University is preparing to scale Mount Everest beyond its base camp to investigate a growing concern: whether snow on the mountain is melting, even at altitudes where air temperatures are well below freezing. The findings could have significant implications for the water supply of over a billion people living downstream of the Himalayas, including communities in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

A Challenging Mission to the Khumbu Glacier

The project, led by Professor Duncan Quincey from the University of Leeds' School of Geography, aims to understand how climate change might affect the upper reaches of the Khumbu Glacier, located on the slopes of Mount Everest. In spring 2025, the research team will embark on an expedition to the Western Cwm, an ice-filled valley over six kilometers above sea level—half a kilometer higher than the famous Everest Base Camp.

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Once there, the team will drill boreholes into the glacier to monitor temperatures beneath the snow surface. These boreholes will allow them to collect data that could reveal whether snow and ice are melting and refreezing at these altitudes. Additionally, they will install automated weather stations to record temperature, humidity, and solar radiation at their study sites.

This groundbreaking effort is not without its challenges. The team will face extreme weather conditions, with freezing temperatures, low oxygen levels, and difficult living conditions posing obstacles for the researchers and their equipment.

"Our previous work has relied on helicopters to transport equipment onto glaciers," said Professor Quincey. “But the air is so thin in the Western Cwm that we can't be sure helicopters will fly this time. We also don't know how our equipment will perform in such a harsh environment, much like our bodies!”

Melting Snow in an Icy Environment?

Despite air temperatures remaining well below zero on Mount Everest, researchers suspect that intense solar radiation may be causing the snow to melt in some places. If their theory holds, this could indicate that glaciers in the Himalayas are melting more rapidly than previously thought. Such a discovery would be alarming, as glaciers in the region are a critical water source for over one billion people who rely on Himalayan runoff.

Professor Bryn Hubbard from Aberystwyth University's Department of Geography and Earth Sciences emphasized the importance of this research. "It may well be a surprise to many that snow is melting within the mountain's Western Cwm, but it is increasingly likely, and it needs to be investigated and measured," he said. “This data is crucial for understanding how climate change affects water-stressed regions and beyond.”

Threats to Water Supply and Communities

The potential consequences of accelerated glacier melting are severe. If the glaciers that feed major rivers in South Asia continue to lose mass, water supplies for hundreds of millions of people could be jeopardized. In addition, the risk of natural disasters could increase. One specific threat is the possibility of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which occur when natural dams formed by ice collapse, releasing massive amounts of water into the valleys below. These floods have the potential to devastate communities living downstream.

Professor Hubbard highlighted this risk: “Understanding and recording what happens inside these glaciers is critical for developing computer models that predict how they will respond to climate change. This includes predicting when dams formed by glaciers are likely to be breached, which could release destructive floods in the Himalayas and other regions like the Andes.”

Overcoming Logistical Challenges

Carrying out scientific observations at such high altitudes presents unique logistical challenges. Transporting heavy drilling equipment to the study site is complex, and maintaining power for the tools in freezing temperatures is another hurdle the team must overcome.

To address these issues, the researchers have designed a lightweight drilling system tailored explicitly for high-altitude conditions. Still, the project will push the limits of what is technically possible in such a harsh environment.

"This is the first time we've attempted something like this in the Western Cwm," said Professor Quincey. “If we manage to drill even a single borehole in this region, it will be a significant success.”

Implications for Future Climate Predictions

The research could provide valuable insights into how glaciers respond to climate change worldwide, particularly those in similar high-altitude settings. The team hopes that their work on Mount Everest will better understand the extent to which other glaciers in the Himalayas may also contain unexpectedly warm ice.

"If we can gather enough data, we will be able to model future changes in water supplies for a large portion of the world's population with much greater accuracy," said Professor Quincey.

The project is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and represents a collaboration between the University of Leeds and Aberystwyth University.

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As the team prepares for their 2025 expedition, their work will contribute to our understanding of how the Earth's highest glaciers respond to a warming planet—and what that means for the billions of people who depend on them for their livelihoods and survival. Keep reading at Education Post News for more updates.