Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Mt. Rainier is one, if not, THE snowiest place on Planet Earth. And, as with other National Park superlatives, this is not the result of just a SINGLE factor. There is a unique combination of geology, geography, and meteorology at Mt. Rainier that all combine in a super-charged climatological dance which produces the prodigious snowfall seen at this National Park. But, it might not last long, either. Climate change is wreaking havoc at the park, and not just in terms of snowfall. The park's glaciers, fed by snowfall, are shrinking. The ecosystems which rely on this immense freshwater system are under threat. And, for visitors, this threatens to upend our own experiences in this alpine wonderland. We discuss it all in this video. Enjoy!
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/mount-rainier-glaciers.htm
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth111/node/751#:~:text=The%20orographic%20effect%20occurs%20when,the%20direction%20of%20storm%20tracks.
opensnow.com/news/post/mountain-orographics-explained
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/catch-wave-how-waves-mjo-and-enso-impact-us-rainfall
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/what-jet-stream
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/pacific-north-american-pattern-stomach-sleeper-atmosphere
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-jet-stream-and-el-nino
snowbrains.com/pacific-northwest-get-much-snow/#google_vignette
opensnow.com/news/post/the-jet-stream-and-its-influence-on-mountain-weather
snowbrains.com/brain-post-why-does-the-pacific-coast-get-so-much-snow
https://cig.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/snoveretalsok2013sec2.pdf
nytimes.com/2023/09/12/climate/mount-rainier-glaciers-climate-change.html
irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/687937
irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/684498
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/climatechange.htm
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/glaciers.htm#CP_JUMP_763768
nps.gov/mora/faqs.htm
nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/annual-snowfall-totals.htm#:~:text=The%20Paradise%20area%20at%20Mount,93.5%20feet%2F28.5%20meters).
thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article252442718.html
geekwire.com/2021/snowiest-place-earth-faring-record-hot-summer-gotten-little-rocky
Mt. Rainier is one, if not, THE snowiest place on Planet Earth. And, as with other National Park superlatives, this is not the result of just a SINGLE factor. There is a unique combination of geology, geography, and meteorology at Mt. Rainier that all combine in a super-charged climatological dance which produces the prodigious snowfall seen at this National Park. But, it might not last long, either. Climate change is wreaking havoc at the park, and not just in terms of snowfall. The park's glaciers, fed by snowfall, are shrinking. The ecosystems which rely on this immense freshwater system are under threat. And, for visitors, this threatens to upend our own experiences in this alpine wonderland. We discuss it all in this video. Enjoy!
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/nationalparkdiaries
Follow me on Instagram: instagram.com/nationalparkdiaries
Sources and Resources:
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/mount-rainier-glaciers.htm
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/earth111/node/751#:~:text=The%20orographic%20effect%20occurs%20when,the%20direction%20of%20storm%20tracks.
opensnow.com/news/post/mountain-orographics-explained
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/catch-wave-how-waves-mjo-and-enso-impact-us-rainfall
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/what-jet-stream
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/pacific-north-american-pattern-stomach-sleeper-atmosphere
climate.gov/news-features/blogs/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-jet-stream-and-el-nino
snowbrains.com/pacific-northwest-get-much-snow/#google_vignette
opensnow.com/news/post/the-jet-stream-and-its-influence-on-mountain-weather
snowbrains.com/brain-post-why-does-the-pacific-coast-get-so-much-snow
https://cig.uw.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2020/12/snoveretalsok2013sec2.pdf
nytimes.com/2023/09/12/climate/mount-rainier-glaciers-climate-change.html
irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/687937
irma.nps.gov/DataStore/DownloadFile/684498
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/climatechange.htm
nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/glaciers.htm#CP_JUMP_763768
nps.gov/mora/faqs.htm
nps.gov/mora/planyourvisit/annual-snowfall-totals.htm#:~:text=The%20Paradise%20area%20at%20Mount,93.5%20feet%2F28.5%20meters).
thenewstribune.com/opinion/editorials/article252442718.html
geekwire.com/2021/snowiest-place-earth-faring-record-hot-summer-gotten-little-rocky
