Siachen Glacier is a very small or disputed unit (under 20 classified 1 km map cells), so this page is not listed in search engines and its figures are only a rough guide.
Climate zones in Siachen Glacier, 1991 to 2020
Share of Siachen Glacier's classified land in each Köppen-Geiger zone in 1991 to 2020. Zones under 0.05% are left out. The 2,983 map cells used cover 100% of the country's outline (about 2,088 km²).
By major group: E (polar) 100%.
ET, tundra, is the main climate of Siachen Glacier, covering 63% of its classified land in 1991 to 2020, with EF (ice cap (frost)) next at 37%. In plain terms, tundra means too cold for trees; a brief, chilly summer. Under the middle-of-the-road scenario (SSP2-4.5), 10% of its land is projected to be in a different zone by 2071 to 2099, with the biggest gain going to ET (tundra).
How Siachen Glacier's zones have changed and may change
Each row compares a map with 1991 to 2020. "Share in a different zone" is the share of the country's area whose class is different from 1991 to 2020. Future rows are model projections under an emissions scenario, not forecasts.
| Map | Share in a different zone | Different major group | Biggest gain | Biggest loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 to 1930 (past) | 4.7% | 0% | ET +3.6 percentage points | EF -3.6 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP1-2.6 (low emissions) | 11% | 0.1% | EF +2.8 percentage points | ET -2.9 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP2-4.5 (middle of the road) | 10% | 0.4% | ET +8.8 percentage points | EF -9.2 percentage points |
| 2071 to 2099, SSP5-8.5 (high emissions) | 34% | 2.5% | ET +29.9 percentage points | EF -32.4 percentage points |
For the past row, the comparison runs the other way: the 1901 to 1930 map against 1991 to 2020.
Zone shares by map
| Zone | 1901 to 1930 | 1991 to 2020 | SSP1-2.6 (2071 to 2099) | SSP2-4.5 (2071 to 2099) | SSP5-8.5 (2071 to 2099) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ET Tundra | 59% | 63% | 60% | 72% | 93% |
| EF Ice cap (frost) | 41% | 37% | 40% | 28% | 4.7% |
| Dsc Subarctic with dry summer | - | - | 0.1% | 0.4% | 2.5% |
Percentages are of the country's classified land in each map. A dash means under 0.05%.
Zones found in Siachen Glacier
Data: Beck et al. (2023), CC BY 4.0; country outlines from Natural Earth. In 1901 to 1930 the most common zone was ET. See data sources and licences.