Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting quickly, but a new study found something interesting that might slow down the impact of the climate crisis.

When it gets warmer in high places, a surprising thing happens: strong, cold winds blow down the mountain slopes. This discovery was published in a scientific journal called Nature Geoscience on December 4.

This cooler, dry air becomes heavier and moves downwards into the valleys, cooling the lower parts of the glaciers and the areas nearby where people and nature live.

The Himalayan glaciers are important because they provide water to around 2 billion people in 16 countries. Scientists want to understand if this cooling effect will continue as temperatures rise in the coming years.

A report previously covered by CNN in June showed that the Himalayan glaciers melted 65% faster in the 2010s compared to the previous decade. This fast melting is because of rising temperatures, causing the glaciers to thin and shrink.

One important thing affecting this melting is the albedo effect. When ice and snow melt, the exposed darker surfaces absorb more heat from the sun, causing more melting.

Scientists studying Mount Everest noticed that while the minimum temperatures were rising, the maximum temperatures during summer were actually dropping. This might seem like a good thing, but it’s not enough to stop the glaciers from melting due to the overall warming caused by climate change.

Even though these cold winds help cool down some parts, they can’t completely stop the glaciers from melting. Thomas Shaw, a researcher, says the reason for rapid melting is complicated and not just because of these winds.

The lack of data from high places worldwide is why scientists focused on one Himalayan station for their study. They think this cooling process could happen on other glaciers worldwide, but more research is needed.

This study emphasizes the importance of collecting more long-term data from high places to understand how glaciers are affected by the changing climate.

Researchers believe that while the glaciers might not last forever, they could still help protect the environment around them for some time. This shows the need for more research to understand the impact of global warming on these glaciers and their surroundings.

Even in the best-case scenario, where global warming is limited, the Himalayas will likely lose a significant portion of their glaciers.