How Cold Is It On Mount Everest?


Mount Everest (8848m) is also known as the top of the world. With a height of 8848m, the mountain peak is one of the coldest places on earth. Whether you are on a trekking or a mountaineering expedition, you must know about the weather conditions of the place. But how cold is it on Mount Everest? You might wonder. Read further to know more about the cold temperature on Mt Everest.
Mt Everest’s temperature remains below the freezing level at all times. The average temperature of January is -37°C (-35°F), which makes it the coldest month in the region. The record hurricane-force winds of 285 km/h or 177mph, also cause a lot of troubles. It can also increase the risk of climbers getting blown off the summit.
Moreover, these factors make Mount Everest one of the coldest places on earth. The coldest temperature on the Everest summit is -41°C (-42°F) recorded in December 2004 AD. Similarly, the warmest temperature ever recorded is -16° C (3°F). Besides these, the highest recorded force winds on Everest is 285 km/h.
What is a perceptive temperature in the Everest region?
The atmospheric air pressure and the oxygen levels in the high altitude Everest region are quite low. Mt Everest, located at an elevation of 8,848m or 29,029 feet, has minimal levels of air pressure and oxygen. Although climbers can carry a tank of pure oxygen, it is not the same as that of the sea level.
Moreover, the metabolism of the body suffers a lot and slows down quite a bit. Metabolism is a process in which there occurs many chemical reactions to ensure the living state of the cell and the organism. You will not burn the same amount of calories that you burn at the sea level. Hence, you will feel cold at all times on Mount Everest.
Furthermore, the perceptive temperature remains more chilled than the actual temperature. Therefore, it is quite cold in Mount Everest and the entire Himalayas. Hence, even on a bright sunny day on Everest, you will feel extremely cold.
Weather and Temperatures at Mt. Everest Summit
The temperature from Mid-December to Late-January is the coldest in Mt. Everest. The average temperature is around -37°C (-35°F) in winter. The winter temperature in the Everest Base Camp is approximately -17°C (1.4°F). There are also hurricane-force winds in the summit.
Moreover, some winds range around 74mph (120km/h) from Mid-October to Early-April. Besides that, the adjusted altitude plus wind temperature in winter is around -70°C (-90°F). The environment is so cold that even frostbite can open skin within the second. The adjusted wind and height temperature of Mount Everest is only next to Antarctica -89°C (-129°F) and Siberia -67.8°C (-90°F).
Furthermore, the temperature in the Spring season (March, April, May) ranges around -19°C to -26°C. May is also the best time for the Everest expedition due to moderate temperatures and low levels of hurricane-force winds. Overall, the temperatures at Mount Everest remain below freezing levels all round the year.
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