Recent studies indicate that snow cover on Qomolangma (Mount Everest) retreated by 150 meters during the winter season of 2024-25, highlighting a concerning trend of insufficient snow accumulation.

Continuing this alarming pattern, January 2025 recorded persistently dry and warm conditions, with snow lines rising an additional 150 meters since December 2024.

In December 2024, Nepal faced a severe snow deficit, receiving only 20 to 25 percent of normal snow levels, which has exacerbated extreme drought conditions in several provinces, especially Koshi Province.

Pema Gyamtsho, director general of ICIMOD, pointed out that carbon emissions have initiated an irreversible trend of recurrent snow anomalies in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region.

Environmental science professor Mauri Pelto noted that these warmer and drier conditions have not only reduced snow cover but also increased the frequency of forest fires in recent winters.

NASA satellite imagery from October 2023 to January 2025 further illustrates this warming climate, revealing a rising snow line as snow melts at lower altitudes.

The UN's World Meteorological Organization has reported that Asia is the most affected region by climate-related disasters, with significant glacier retreat observed over the past six years.

Particularly alarming is the loss of about half of the snow cover in the Mekong and Salween basins, which are vital water sources for China and Myanmar.

British climber Kenton Cool remarked on the stark changes in Qomolangma's conditions, noting that the mountain is losing its snow and becoming drier compared to the early 2000s.

In light of these developments, Gyamtsho emphasized the urgent need for policy changes to address the long-term implications of low snow levels in the region.

While the Earth's average temperature has increased by 0.74°C over the last century, the Himalayas are experiencing even greater warming, further stressing the region's ecosystems.