The mountain is out: Mount Rainier shows rocky face after record-breaking heat, snow melt
"The mountain is out" is a common phrase spoken by Seattleites to mark a clear day in Puget Sound when Mount Rainier is visible. But despite the mountain's ever-looming presence over the city, many residents have actually never seen its entire rocky face — until this year.
The summer's historic heat event has left the mountain bare, melting the snow that was insulating the mountain's glaciers. While some melt off is normal in the summer, June's heat event melted 30 percent of Mount Rainier’s snow pack according the the Northwest Avalanche Center. Paradise, which reached highs of 88 degrees, on the mountain's southern side lost 3 to 4 feet of snow during the heat event.
Considering that the previous winter saw a relatively healthy snow pack, even causing some ski resorts in the region to extend their seasons, the rapid snow melt off leaves the mountain's already receding glaciers in a vulnerable place. Mount Rainier is home to at least 25 major glaciers that support five major river systems in the region.
The record-breaking heat wave followed an already dry spring with the state only measuring 6 inches of rain according to Washington Climatologist Nick Bond. Much of Western Washington is still classified as "abnormally dry" according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, while the eastern portion of the state is currently in an "exceptional drought" by the agency's classifications. Gov. Jay Inslee declared a drought emergency earlier this month.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/the-mountain-is-out-mount-rainier-shows-rocky-face-after-record-breaking-heat-snow-melt/ar-AAMApMz
