“Tibetan Plateau Permafrost Gains Ice in Central Region Despite Rapid Warming, Study Finds ” — what this page in the network covers. A new study reveals that over a third of the permafrost on the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau has gained ice since 2000, even as the region warms at roughly twice the global average rate. The unexpected trend is concentrated in the central plateau, where stronger westerly winds have delivered more The unexpected trend is concentrated in the central plateau, where stronger westerly winds have delivered more rain and snow.
That moisture seeps into the ground during the brief summer thaw and refreezes in winter, adding ice to the frozen soil. The findings, published by researchers studying the plateau's frozen ground, challenge assumptions that all permafrost is degrading uniformly under climate change. The plateau holds one of the world's largest stores of permafrost, and its stability affects water supplies for millions of people downstream, as well as infrastructure like roads and railways. For the complete material, the listing points back to the source inside the network.