'Mega-Drought' In Andes From Climate Change Leaves Some Peaks Snowless

Andes: Scant rain and snowfall are leaving many of the majestic mountains between Ecuador and Argentina with patchy snow cover or no snow at all as dry brown earth lies exposed.

The Andes Mountain range, which draws skiers to South America, is facing historically low snowfall this year during a decade-long drought that scientists link to global warming. Scant rain and snowfall are leaving many of the majestic mountains between Ecuador and Argentina with patchy snow cover or no snow at all as dry brown earth lies exposed. As precipitation declines and glaciers retreat across the region, communities that depend on the mountains for water supply are likely to suffer shortages, said Ricardo Villalba, principal investigator for the Argentine Institute of Snow, Glacier and Environment Science Studies (IANIGLA). "Here we are seeing a process of long-term decrease in precipitation, a mega-drought," Villalba said.