Mt Kenya’s Snow Could Be Gone in 5 Years as Scientists Sound Climate Alarm
Mount Kenya, the nation’s highest peak and a key tourist attraction, is rapidly losing its ice cover. Scientists warn that by 2030, the mountain may be completely ice-free, a troubling projection as Kenya records its hottest year ever in 2024.
Lewis Glacier, once an iconic feature of Mount Kenya, has diminished drastically, shrinking by nearly 90% between 1934 and 2010. The once-extensive ice sheets have been reduced to scattered remnants, altering the mountain’s majestic landscape.
Charles Kibaki Muchiri, a veteran guide with 25 years of experience on the slopes, has witnessed the drastic transformation firsthand. “The snow and ice used to make the mountain breathtakingly beautiful,” he recalled. “Now, it’s mostly bare rock with only small patches of ice.”
The dwindling glaciers pose not just an environmental crisis but also an economic threat. Mount Kenya, one of Africa’s few glacier-capped peaks, attracts climbers and tourists worldwide. Experts caution that it could soon become one of the first mountains of the modern era to lose all its ice.
“In the past, there were ice caves where we could take stunning photographs,” Muchiri lamented. “Now, they’ve vanished. Lewis Glacier is disappearing fast due to excessive melting.”
The Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD) confirmed on Thursday that 2024 marked the country’s warmest year on record. Its latest report, “State of the Climate in Kenya 2024,” highlights a disturbing trend of rising temperatures.
Kenya’s mean maximum temperature has steadily increased since 1979, with the past two decades seeing a dramatic surge. Scientists attribute the extreme weather to several factors, including El Niño conditions earlier in the year, which led to severe flooding and warmer Pacific Ocean temperatures. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), a phenomenon causing temperature imbalances between the ocean’s eastern and western regions, also contributed to Kenya’s erratic climate.
As global warming accelerates, fears grow over the fate of Mount Kenya’s ice cover. Muchiri expressed deep concern. “The glacier keeps shrinking. If things continue like this, it may vanish entirely.”
Beyond aesthetics, the consequences could be severe. Mount Kenya’s glaciers serve as a crucial freshwater source for nearby communities, and their disappearance could spark a broader environmental crisis. The loss of ice may disrupt local ecosystems, threaten water supplies, and impact the tourism sector.
As temperatures rise, experts warn of escalating droughts, erratic rainfall, and extreme weather events. The rapid transformation of Mount Kenya stands as a stark reminder of the worsening climate crisis.
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Mt Kenya’s Snow Could Be Gone in 5 Years as Scientists Sound Climate Alarm
