Rockies, Alps, Himalayas: More rain, less snow in Northern hemisphere mountains as temperatures rise, says report

Source: The post is based on the article “Rockies, Alps, Himalayas: More rain, less snow in Northern hemisphere mountains as temperatures rise, says report” published in Down To Earth on 29th June 2023

What is the News?

Researchers have found that climate change will cause a shift from snowfall to rainfall on mountains across the Northern Hemisphere.

What are the key findings of the study?

Climate change could cause a shift from snowfall to rainfall in mountain regions across the Northern Hemisphere.

The Himalayas and other mountains across the Northern Hemisphere are likely to see 15% more rain for every 1-degree Celsius rise in temperature due to climate change.

For 2 degrees and 3 degrees rise, the world would see a 30 percent and 45 percent increase in rain.

This shift from snowfall to rainfall will increase the risk of disasters such as floods, landslides, and soil erosion.

One-quarter of the global population lives in or downstream from mountainous regions. They are going to be directly affected by this risk.

However, not all mountain regions are at high risk. The Himalayas and the North American Pacific Mountain ranges, including the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and coastal ranges (from Canada to Southern California) are more threatened than the Rockies or the Alps.