The Himalayan Asian Force of Nature.
Once supreme in the Cold and Icy presence of some of the most breathtaking Mountainous terrain on the earth where temperatures dropped well below zero, snowstorms and whiteouts where common in winter, snow pack and glacial measurements where more then adequate in the northern winters, over the last decade and a half sadly we report that gone are the days of the Himalayan Snow and Ice reserves fields as the Area once conquered by Tenzing and Sir Edmund HIllary no longer resembles what they climbed decades previously.
This can be attributed to global warming in part especially the mediterranean and arctic circle. This warming of the Himalayas region should be an area of concern and recent studies have linked this warming of the winters in the large himalayas mountain expanse with this combination of factors
- A decline in the Western Disturbance that originates in the Mediterranean.
- During winters this disturbance provides the Himalayas with the moisture and additional low pressure to produce snow that in turn further cools the mountain regions of the Himalayas when the disturbance reaches and passes over the Himalayas regularly in Winters.
- Weather anomolies moving the STJ north of the Himalayas region at times in Asian Winters or a combined single jet over the Himalayas that is Zonal with no south cold air outbreaks.
- Warmer Mountain conditions in the Himalayan winter the neutral/reverse of colder.
- Possible link to global warming changing the Himalayas winter weather over the last decade to three decades.
- A disruption in the usual Winter Mid Latitude tele-connections (Frontogenesis/Cyclogenesis) for the Mid and High Wind Highways of the Mediterranean and Asia (STJ) that the WD depends on.
- A lack/weakening of the upper level (STJ) low system from the mediterranean to the Asia area that in turn is connected to a stronger/stable Northern Polar Vortex Winter.
- The Presence of a Surface Stable Polar Vortex that isolates Cold Air to the North Polar regions and prevents cold air outbreaks to the south of the Vortex into the Himalayas (This can be happening far more).
- There are West to East Upper Wind breakdowns that may allow warming of the stratosphere and allows cooling further south (Sudden Stratospheric Warming). They happen around half a dozen times in a Decade possibly the above factors may influence cooling rather then warming these are not as influential as a strong stable Polar Vortex through the North Winter preventing cold air outbreaks south.
Everest.
The ever imposing Mount Everest with an overall elevation of near 30,000 ft places the very top of the mountain near the Jet Stream. As you ascend the slopes (never for the novice beware) at each graduation Air Pressure drops in relation to height climbed. So in reality the upper echelons of the entire set of mountain ranges also including Everest becomes a Force of Nature semi seperated from the normal Asian/European weather patterns.
This is the Single Force of Nature imposing this incredible mountain structure that is a natural Low Pressure area due to the enormous height elevations and the effects of air pressure lowering and air becoming thinner as we climb higher and higher.
For example at surface (sea level) is usually around 1013 mb of pressure, at 30,000 ft near the height of Everest this equates to a 700mb drop to 300mb of air pressure. Also the temperature here plummets as a result of Extreme Height at the Peak to well under freezing in this modern day equation is Dry-Cold.
It is this astounding relationship to Air Pressure that makes this Mountain indeed the area the legendary Mountain places in its own semi seperate force of nature within Asia.
The Locale.
Nestled in the central Area of Asia to the north east of the Indian Foothills and the West of Central China the Himalayas is a expansive southern province of Tibet apon which a traveller will encounter after the awesome wonder of the Southern Himalayas (Where the Highest ranges are at up to 30,000 ft) to the somewhat differing Tibetan Plateau (That the southern ranges must be traversed by experience or guide only). Tibet has the natural capitol of Lhasa and in 2024 is under chinese rule.
The southern section of this region houses the Himalayas Mountain chain with immense Mountain Peaks projecting up from ground level into astounding natural wonders on a truly magnificent scale also containing in the landscape deep ravines, streams, rivers and valleys and hazardous road and path sections.
The actual Himalayas mountain chain spans six countries so is truly a sub continent 7th wonder of the world – spanning
- Afghanistan.
- Bhutan.
- China.
- Nepal.
- Pakistan.
Sadly the Himalayas region is undergoing warmer northern winters that may affect billions in this current condition in the Hot Asian summers as fresh water melt is far lower now then 20 years ago that resupplies the Asian Deltas every northern spring.
Mid-High Altitude Jet.
Covered in our recent topic The Westerly Jet and STJ play a pivotal role in the central Asian regions weather coupled to the Himalayas in Winter and Spring. This primer can be found here. In a simple form these Upper Level wind highways are essential to provide the patterns that establish Winter Cold Outbreaks, Snow and Ice that are vital to the Himalayas along with surface weather fronts, low pressure areas and Moisture inputs.
The Westerly jet composes the Main wind stream at around 30,000 feet blowing west to east then due to the Himalayas Topography when the Jet reaches the Himalayas Range the Wind field divides in half due to the immense presence of the range. The southern portion becomes the Sub Tropical Jet and the northern portion the Main westerly Jet. The sub tropical jet is at times a influencer of weather in Asia.
The STJ sits lower in the atmosphere then the Westerly Jet with the Westerly Jet maintaining a speed of around 80 to 140 knots in winter and represents the boundary to the Polar Vortex more so in Winter. When the STJ moves into the Hindu Kush and a winter westerly disturbance follows in Winter this is highly beneficial for the Southern Himalayas Alps Ice floes. This pattern is occuring far less in Asian Winters in 2024 indeed previously and has been a consistent warming pattern over the last 15 to 20 years.
Environment.
The Himalayas range contains immense peaks, deep gorges and valleys in the Southern section, Nth West section and Eastern Ranges that then move north into the Tibetan Plateau.
In the Southern Himalayas in continual sections going nth west and south east of the Hindu Kush Air becomes thinner the higher you climb, temperatures can drop drastically the higher you ascend (at 300mb the height of Everest well below freezing) and especially if a winter storm moves in quickly in addition to the Mountainous High Altitude cold. At the mid to highest peak sections of the mountain ranges you will encounter winds that envelope the slopes and remain at velocities of in excess of 100 knots making the mountains unapproachable up until May or October when either sun may approach the ranges or a envelope in the beginning of winter happens to allow Mountain Visits.
Guided commercial expeditions happen in the months of May and April that allow the public to visit the slopes of the Himalayas region. Also private mountaineering is carried out in these months by experienced climbers. At the High Slopes expect to experience Altitude sickness, Exhaustion, Hygienic problems, Cold and thinner air supply in the quest to visit the regions at the top of the world. One should never attempt the ascent without professional guidance. The local sherpa have become adept at survival in this area and skilled in being acclimatised to High Altitude living and travel in the ranges becoming the porters of this environment ensuring that there clients are well set up espresso machines and all.
The Hindu Kush Big Melt.
The Hindu Kush represents the Large Mountainous area of the Himalayas that many regions of Asia rely apon for Water for crops, fishing, and agriculture. When Glacial Ice and Snow measurements are sufficiently applied during normal cold snowy Himalayas winters then in the onset of Spring/Summer in Asia melt from the Cold Winters then supplies the waterways connected to the Hindu Kush with fresh water.
The large area of concern here is that with the Asian winters warmer and coupled to low snowfall that affects mountain snow pack and insufficient glacial ice buildup in todays Himalayas winters that there will be insufficient fresh water supply for many areas of down flow (Tributaries) of the Hindu Kush as rivers are not replenished in the usual spring and summer cycle as compared to twenty years ago.
For the vital waterways of Asia connected to the Hindu Kush this means that the normal spring flow of water is less, there is less water volume to distribute to areas dependent on the tributaries especially in hot summers when the water supply is needed most. The discharge of water into the tributaries could be weakened and bring less power outputs to the electrical grid by producing lesser kinetic energy as compared to hydrology from the Himalayas and the Hindu Kush twenty years ago.
The Spring melt feeds the rivers and tributaries of the following Asian systems
- Yangtze (China).
- Yellow (China).
- Mekong (Vietnam).
- Salween (Burma/Thailand).
- Ganges (India).
- Brahmaputra (Himalayas).
- Irrawaddy (Burma).
- Indus (India).
- Armu Daya (Pakistan/Afghanistan).
- Tarim (China).
So recently there have been scientific discussions revolving around Hotter Asian summers affecting areas of Asia coupled to warmer winters that affect the Asian river systems feeding off the Hindu Kush in turn affecting the asian population somewhat due to changing Himalayas Ice Fields and Lack of Glacial Ice sheets in the Asian Spring. With this the topic of the Asian Himalayas is completed.