🔗 Share this article How the Autumn Trekking Season Became Deadly in the Himalayas Fall trekking period is increasingly seeing severe weather Bright skies, gentle winds and a panoramic view of majestic peaks draped in snow - this describes the fall experience that hikers on Mount Everest have grown to adore. But this seems to be shifting. Changing Climate Conditions Climate scientists indicate the monsoon now stretches into autumn, which is traditionally the high-altitude tourism period. During this prolonged conclusion of the rainy season, they have documented at least one episode of extreme rainfall almost every year for the past ten years, with high-altitude weather becoming increasingly dangerous. Latest Crisis on Everest Last weekend, a sudden blizzard stranded several hundred of travelers near the eastern side of Mount Everest for days in freezing conditions at an elevation of more than 4,900m. Approximately 600 trekkers were guided to safety by the end of that week, according to sources. One person had died from extreme cold and altitude sickness, but the others were said to be in stable health. Similar Incidents Across the Region The emergency was on the northern slope but a comparable situation had occurred on the Nepal slope, where a South Korean climber died on Mera Peak. The world found out after some delay because communications were affected by heavy downpours and significant snow accumulation. Authorities calculate that landslides and flash floods in the region have killed approximately sixty individuals over the past seven days. "This is very unusual for autumn during which we anticipate the weather to remain calm," said an experienced mountain guide. Economic Consequences Given autumn represents the favored period, frequent storms like this have "hampered our mountaineering and climbing industry," he added. The rainy period in northern India and Nepal usually continues from June to mid-September, but no longer. "Research shows that most of the years in the past ten years have had rainy seasons lasting until the middle of autumn, which is certainly a change," explained a senior meteorology expert. Growing Climate Extremes Even more concerning is the intense rain and snowfall the concluding phase of the season produces, like it did recently on early October. At elevation in the Himalayas, such extreme weather means snowstorms and winter storms, which represents a huge risk for hiking, climbing and tourism. A snowstorm recently stranded hundreds of travelers near the east side of Everest Firsthand Accounts That's what happened recently when the conditions changed quite abruptly - the air currents began howling, temperatures plummeted and sightlines decreased significantly. The road that had easily brought the trekkers to what should have been a breathtaking resting point was now buried in white accumulation and extremely difficult to navigate. Still, one hiker, who had hiked the Himalayas more than a dozen times, reported he had "not once experienced weather like these" before. Scientific Analysis One major factor is the higher quantity of moisture in the air because of how the planet has been warming, researchers say. This has contributed to heavy precipitation over a brief period of duration, often after a prolonged period without rain – in contrast to in the previous era when seasonal rains were distributed evenly over the entire season. Landslides and flash floods in the region over the previous several days have killed dozens A Intensified Monsoon Weather specialists report the rainy seasons in South Asia at times seem to have become stronger because they are increasingly interacting with an additional atmospheric phenomenon, the western weather pattern. This is a atmospheric depression that forms in the Mediterranean region and moves east - it transports cold air that causes rains and occasionally snowfall to the subcontinent, Pakistan and the Himalayan region. Global Change Impacts Researchers have also found that in a warming world, the increasing relationship between western weather systems and seasonal rains is causing another atypical outcome. The warmer air is pushing the clouds to greater altitudes, which means these atmospheric conditions are now able to pass over the mountain barrier and reach the Tibetan plateau and other regions that did not see so much precipitation in the past. "What's changed is the predictability of patterns; we can't assume that situations will occur the same from season to season," said an seasoned expedition leader. "That means flexible scheduling, real-time decision-making, and experienced leadership [in the Himalayas] have become increasingly crucial."