Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak, is often pictured with a white cap. Many wonder if this iconic mountain is always covered in snow. While images frequently show a perpetually snow-covered summit, its snowy mantle is more complex than a simple year-round blanket. The presence of snow on Everest is influenced by permanent ice formations, seasonal weather patterns, and the mountain’s extreme altitude.
The Ever-Present Cover
Mount Everest is perpetually covered in snow and ice, particularly at its higher elevations and summit. This cover consists of permanent ice fields, vast glaciers, and seasonal snow. Even when lower slopes reveal exposed rock, the summit and upper reaches consistently maintain their icy appearance. A Chinese team measured snow and ice depth at the summit to be around 3.5 meters (11 feet). Permanent ice forms the mountain’s core, while fresh snow contributes to its dynamic surface; the snow line on Everest is generally above 6,000 meters (about 19,700 feet), meaning elevations above this height are consistently blanketed.
Seasonal Fluctuations
Snow on Mount Everest varies significantly throughout the year due to distinct seasonal patterns. The monsoon season (June to September) brings heavy snowfall to higher altitudes, leading to deeper snow cover. During this period, the mountain is often shrouded in clouds and experiences substantial fresh snow. This fresh snow creates deep, unstable snowdrifts in the post-monsoon period.
In contrast, the pre-monsoon (spring) and post-monsoon (autumn) climbing seasons (May and October) present drier conditions. Strong winds, common at Everest’s high altitudes, scour snow from exposed ridges, making older ice or rock more visible. While cover might shift from fresh powder to hardened, wind-scoured ice, the mountain’s highest points are never entirely bare. The snow level at the summit fluctuates annually by 1.5 to 6 meters (5 to 20 feet), being highest after the monsoon in September and lowest in May due to winter winds.
Altitude’s Influence
Persistent snow and ice cover on Mount Everest is largely due to extreme high-altitude conditions. Temperatures at the summit remain well below freezing throughout the year. Even in the warmest month of July, the average summit temperature is around -19°C (-2°F), while in January, it can drop to -36°C (-33°F) or even as low as -60°C (-76°F). This cold environment prevents snow and ice from melting, leading to sublimation where ice turns directly into vapor.
The thin atmosphere at Everest’s elevation contributes to these low temperatures, as thin air cannot hold heat effectively. The powerful jet stream, a high-altitude wind current, frequently impacts the summit, especially from October to April. These hurricane-force winds, often exceeding 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), redistribute snow, sometimes exposing underlying hard ice. While precipitation occurs primarily as snow, the constant freezing temperatures and wind ensure the accumulation and preservation of the mountain’s icy cap.
Changing Landscape
Mount Everest’s snow and ice cover are experiencing changes due to broader climate shifts. Observations indicate a trend of receding glaciers and thinning ice fields across the Himalayan region. For example, the South Col Glacier, one of Everest’s highest glaciers, has reportedly lost about 55 meters (180 feet) of thickness in the last 25 years. This rate of melting is significantly faster than the time it took for the ice to form. The loss of a protective snowpack has exposed darker underlying ice, accelerating the melting process due to increased absorption of solar radiation.
While the summit might retain some form of snow or ice cover, the overall volume of frozen water on the mountain is decreasing. Glaciers in the Mount Everest region reportedly shrunk by 13% in 50 years, with the snowline shifting upward by 180 meters (590 feet). This reduction in ice and snow can lead to more exposed bedrock, potentially altering climbing routes and increasing instances of rockfall. The observed changes highlight the mountain’s sensitivity to regional temperature increases and shifts in precipitation patterns.