Research Article

How do Himalayan areas respond to global warming?

  1. Nazzareno Diodato1,*,
  2. Gianni Bellocchi1,2,
  3. Gianni Tartari3,4

Article first published online: 7 APR 2011

DOI: 10.1002/joc.2340

Additional Information

How to Cite

Diodato, N., Bellocchi, G. and Tartari, G. (2011), How do Himalayan areas respond to global warming?. Int. J. Climatol.. doi: 10.1002/joc.2340

Author Information

  1. 1

    Met European Research Observatory, GEWEX-CEOP Network—World Climate Research Programme, 82100 Benevento, Italy

  2. 2

    Grassland Ecosystem Reserch Unit, French National Institute of Agricultural Research, Clermont-Ferrand, France

  3. 3

    Ev-K2-CNR Committee, 24126 Bergamo, Italy

  4. 4

    Water Research Institute (IRSA), National Research Council of Italy, 20047 Brugherio, Italy

*Met European Research Observatory, GEWEX-CEOP Network—World Climate Research Programme, 82100 Benevento, Italy.

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 7 APR 2011
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 8 MAR 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 25 OCT 2010
  4. Manuscript Received: 22 JUN 2010

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Keywords:

  • global warming;
  • Pyramid Automated Weather Station;
  • teleconnection;
  • temperature;
  • Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

We study the interdecadal-scale variability over the Himalayas/Tibetan Plateau (H/TP) to deepen the understanding of Earth's important ecosystem after the recent controversy about glaciers melting in the Himalayan Mountains. We present a new statistical reconstruction of annual temperature variability back to 1901 for the Pyramid Automated Weather Station of the Ev-K2-CNR Committee, located at the base of the Mount Everest. Our reconstruction using recorded weather station data compared with the Climate Research Unit temperature pattern data indicate that in recent decades the warming trend over the H/TP has been faster than during any equivalent period in the last century. Positive temperature anomalies (mostly observed after 1970) were found to be correlated with the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation and the Pacifical Decadal Oscillation indices, but unevenly correlated with the Northern Hemisphere (NH) land-surface temperature. Such decoupled response between H/TP and NH suggests the mechanisms of global warming are only marginally influencing the H/TP climate. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society

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