Whimpy Long Rains

Telemetry from the Northern Ice Field suggests that the Long Rains ended at the end of May, consistent with previous years. Snowfall frequency was fairly regular, beginning with a relatively large event in March (see this entry), but net accumulation was only 10-15 cm. This is quite a contrast to the Short Rains of November to mid-January which netted 45-50 cm of accumulation on the glacier.

The dry interval between the rains this year was centered on February, as is typically the case. It extended from mid-January to the March snowfall mentioned above, yet included 2-3 multi-day snowfall events of 5-10 cm.

In summary, as of today (mid-June) snow depth on the Northern Ice Field is ~60 cm.

Kilimanjaro returns to PNAS

Back in November, we published a paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (PNAS) which documented changes in ice-covered area on Kilimanjaro since February 2000 (see blog entry with link to paper). Collaborators at the University of Innsbruck had a different perspective on a few elements of the paper, so wrote a Letter to the Editor. Together with our response, the letter was published online April 21st in PNAS Early Edition, and both will remain there until appearing in print.

The Mölg et al. letter is also available here, and the Thompson et al. response is here.

As an active collaborator with all authors involved, I would like to point out that such discussion - in scientific literature - is normal, healthy scientific discourse. This is how the process is supposed to work, and this is one way in which science advances! Our correspondence does not demonstrate uncertainty about whether Kilimanjaro's glaciers are shrinking, or whether they are likely to disappear with a few decades, or whether global warming is likely driving recent shrinkage; we are all in complete agreement on these tenets! Nor do the letters reveal some fundamental divide between research groups. In both cases, dedicated researchers are simply articulating nuanced perspectives gained from varying combinations of arduous fieldwork, laboratory analysis, and/or computer modeling. Given the short history of quantitative measurements from Kilimanjaro, both groups are attempting to make sense of climate-glacier interactions that all agree are complex. Everyone involved is dedicated to developing a better understanding of the mountain's fascinating glaciers.

-Doug Hardy, UMass Geosciences

Singing at the summit

Here are a few audio recordings from the cook tent, by the singing crew of October 2009 (above). Only those who ascend slowly with good equipment are capable of such joyful singing at nearly 6,000 meters. Thanks to everyone at Summit Expeditions!

• cook tent track #1
• cook tent track #2
• cook tent track #3
• In Mbahe, track A
• In Mbahe, track B
• In Mbahe, track C

Long Rains begin

Here is an out-the-car-window shot of Kilimanjaro from 21 March (courtesy Michael Winkler, Innsbruck Univ.), with a mantle of fresh snow. Michael departed from a snow-free crater on the 19th. By the 21st, my telemetry data from the Northern Ice Field does not indicate accumulation (cf. this south-side view), suggesting that snowfall was primarily on the south side. This asymetry is typical of snowfall during the Long Rains (March-May). However, appreciable snowfall on the Northern Ice Field did begin in the evening of the 22nd and continued at least into the 23rd; additional smaller events continued sporatically up to today. On the 27th, Timba from Ahsante Tours & Safaris wrote that in Moshi it was "pouring big time" and that the "mountain has been on an all time white look since last week." He says that "the SE prevailing winds have begun" and the long rainy season is in "full swing."

Long Rains beginning?

After a brief dry interval, telemetry shows that snowfall is again occurring at the summit of Kilimanjaro. Could we be seeing the beginning of the "Long Rains"? Contributor Timba at Ahsante Tours & Safaris writes of "heavy rains in Moshi and surrounding areas yesterday. In town [and on the mountain], it rained the whole afternoon to early evening."  Timba suggests that the normal long rain pattern is for morning rain in Dar es Salaam, followed by afternoon and evening rain in the Kilimanjaro region, but his friend in Dar saw no rain yesterday. Stay tuned.

Ten Years!

Here we are, exactly 10 years ago this morning, after installing the AWS on Kibo's Northern Ice Field (1300 UTC or 8 am EST, 24 February 2000). Hard to believe it has been that long -- or that it function so reliably. Thanks to everyone involved in keeping the measurements going!

Kilimanjaro from space

Kibo (left) and Mawenzi (right) from the International Space Station on 21 January at ~10am (click to see larger). Note convective clouds just beginning to form to the southwest, as happens daily at this time. Although the crater is snow-free, considerable snowcover is visible on the north side of Kibo; only the brightest-white areas are glacier ice. [Image ISS022-E-33592, courtesy of Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center]