‘This is a wake-up call’

Warmer and drier climate conditions are raising the Himalayas’ snow line, leading to more frequent wildfires and concerning water shortages.

What’s happening?

Satellite images reveal that the elevation at which snow accumulates on the Himalayan mountains is rising at abnormal rates. According to NASA’s Earth Observatory, the higher snow lines have concerned scientists since early 2021. Between Dec. 11, 2024, and Jan. 28 of this year, the snow line rose nearly 500 feet, demonstrating how quickly it is changing.

According to Mauri Pelto, a glaciologist at Nichols College, “The only year recently when January snow lines were near typical levels was 2022.” He referred to the high snow lines in January 2021, 2023, 2024, and 2025 as potentially the “new normal.”

Furthermore, it’s suspected that much of the snow’s disappearance is due to sublimation, not melting. This means more snow evaporates into the air, instead of turning to water and running down the mountains. As Earth Observatory described, the snow is almost “vanishing into thin air.”

What does the higher Himalayan snow line mean?

Scientists are alarmed by the rising snow line, which can lead to a higher risk of forest fires and a reduced water supply for nearby communities.

According to the Nepali Times, Nepal’s wildfire season started early this year. This is due to prolonged winter droughts, meaning winters with abnormally low snowpack.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

ICIMOD cryosphere specialist Sher Muhammad, author of the Snow Update Report 2024, explained, “This is a wake-up call for researchers, policymakers, and downstream communities: lower accumulation of snow and fluctuating levels of snow pose a very serious increased risk of water shortages, particularly this year.”

These water shortages can also cause crop failures, meaning the communities face food shortages as well.

While abnormal weather patterns occur naturally, this persistent lack of snowpack is a troubling trend. Rather than an isolated weather event, these dry, warm winters have become a pattern spanning four years. Many experts attribute super storms, bomb cyclones, atmospheric rivers, and other extreme weather events to the rapidly overheating planet.

What can be done about the rising snow line?

Communities must rethink how they manage water and prepare for a higher fire risk to combat the water shortage.

ICIMOD’s senior cryosphere specialist, Miriam Jackson, explained, “It’s clear that governments and people in this region need urgent support to help them adapt to changes in snow patterns that carbon emissions have already locked in.”

She continued, “G20 countries need to cut emissions faster than ever before to prevent even more changes that will prove disastrous to major population centers and industries that rely on snow-melt in the mountains.”

Mitigating the overheating planet is the best way to stop the rising snowline and restore a more consistent snowpack. This means reducing carbon pollution, supporting sustainable agriculture, and focusing on creating new forms of renewable energy.

Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don’t miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.