5/27/08 — This concludes Climbing.com's coverage of Mt. Everest weather reports by Michael Fagin for this season. We hope you've enjoyed the reports.

5/25/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -22 C, 35 knots with stronger gusts from the southwest. Cloudy

5/24/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -24 C winds 26 knots from the southwest just a few high clouds

5/22/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -24 C winds 24 knots from the southwest with some clouds moving in and out

5/21/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -24 C winds 30 knots from the southwest Cloudy

5/20/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -24 C winds 30 knots from the southwest Just a few high clouds

5/19/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -23 C winds 40 knots from the west, stronger gusts at times. Clear now but clouds will move in later

5/18/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -23 C winds 30 knots from the west with some high clouds

5/17/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -25 C winds 30 knots from the west, mostly clear with just a few high clouds

5/16/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -24 C winds 30 knots from the west, mostly clear with just a few high clouds

5/15/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -23 C winds 26 knots from the west. Clouds moving in and out of the region

5/14/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -28 C winds 30 knots from the west. Clouds moving in and out of the region

5/13/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -28 C , winds 34 knots from the southwest some cloud

5/12/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -28 C , winds 32 knots from the southwest some clouds

5/11/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -29 C , winds 40 knots from the southwest some clouds

5/02/08

4/30/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -29 C, winds 56 knots from the west and some clouds

4/29/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -29 C, winds 56 knots from the west and cloudy to partly cloudy. Also a tropical depression is located in the Bay of Bengal which is south of Mt. Everest. However this should not have a direct impact on Everest outside of bringing a chance of precipitation for later in the week

4/28/08 — Estimated summit conditions on Everest at 6 pm Nepal time. -30 C, winds 62 knots from the northwest and some high clouds moving in and out of region. Also a tropical depression is located in the Bay of Bengal. However this should not have a direct impact on Everest outside of bringing a chance of precipitation for later in the week

Older weather forecasts on next page

Why Our Forecasts Are Unique and Accurate:

• We review a medium of 6 forecast models and at many more at times. This takes more time but the accurate results are well worth it. We know of no other forecasts that are produced with this detail and time commitment.
• Being a mountaineer, I know the value of precise detailed forecasts and I know the type of content climbers want.
• Each forecast uses a weighted average of the forecast models based on the accuracy of each forecast model.
• After each forecast is made, it is analyzed with actual weather conditions to determine the accuracy of each forecast and what needs to be done to improve each forecast.

Climbing.com's weather forecast and dispatches are sponsored by:
Alpine Ascents; International Mountain Guides; Project Himalaya

Dispatch from Alpine Ascents International
May 22 - Team Red Reaches the Summit!
The good news for today from Alpine Ascents is that the first team, "Team Red", led by Dave Morton, reached the summit of Everest this morning at 8:20. Huge congratulations go out to Dave, Jeff Dossett, Melissa Arnot, Tsering Dorjee Sherpa, and Fura Kancha Sherpa. They left the South Col at about 10:30 last night and climbed through the night in excellent conditions. While clouds and snow enshrouded base camp, the climbing team enjoyed fairly clear skies and almost no wind. The climb was not easy however. With a climbing window of only a few days, Team Red encountered many other climbers on the route, leading to bottlenecks and hold-ups in many places. But they persevered and overcame the difficulties. It took the team about four hours to climb from the South Col to the Balcony, and another four hours to reach the South Summit. From just below the South Summit it took them about two hour to negotiate the traffic jams to reach the true summit. It is now 12:30 and everyone is now safely back at the South Col ready to enjoy a good meal and some sleep. Tomorrow they will start on their way back to base camp.
Ellie Henke
Base Camp Manager

Dispatch from Alpine Ascents International
May 21 Excitement at Camp 3
Hello friends, family, and loved ones. This is Team Everest calling in from Camp 3, higher than anything out there other than in Asia. We're higher than Aconcagua right now. We've just put down a fairly decent dinner of spanish rice con jamon, and we're just sitting back and enjoying the O's (oxygen). We're going to be sucking down about a half liter of oxygen tonight, and that's going to get us in good shape for going up to Camp 4 tomorrow. So everyone on the team up here is in pretty good shape and doing well.
We had a little excitement a while ago when Jose Luis blew up the kitchen. I just left the tent for a minute and the whole kitchen just went up in flames. It was tremendous. Jose Luis is denying it, of course. It put out all the stoves and blew a cylinder head; it was pretty dramatic. Jose Luis says "It wasn't my fault". But all are ok, other that a couple spilled pots of water.
Anyway, stay tuned tomorrow as we continue up the mountain.
Ciao for now, Vern Tejas at Camp 3

Dispatch from International Mountain Guides
First Team on Their Way
May 20, 2008
Casey's team left the South Col for the summit at 9:19 pm (Nepal Time). Sherpas with them are: Danuru, Dawa, and Nima Karma.
—Ang Jangbu Sherpa, IMG Everest Expedition Co-Leader

Upper Mountain Fixed; First Teams Ready
May 20, 2008
Ang Jangbu reports:
Two of the fixing sherpas (from other team) continued and summitted at 4 pm this afternoon. Our guys, Danuru and Dawa as usual led the charge and fixed all the way to lower part of the rocks below South Summit. They are back down on Col and going back up with Casey's team. They will be waking up shortly to get ready. They were talking about 9pm departure.
The team will be: Casey, Bob, Ari, Danuru, Dawa, Nima Karma. We have Datenji, the camp 4 cook, for Casey's team. Scott, Adam, Bob, Chip, Vance, Joe and Kurt are at Camp 3.

Dispatch from Alpine Ascents International
May 20
Team Everest rests at Camp 2
Hello there friends, family, and loved ones. This is the Everest Team high at Camp 2. Today was a rest day. People are feeling pretty good, getting over a few minor aches and pains, and prepping all day long for the big push that's about to happen. We've been checking the weather and looking at several weather forecasts to see if tomorrow is going to be the good day to take off. Once we head up to Camp 3 we start burning Os (oxygen) , and once we start using oxygen we're kind of on a one way track to the summit. So we want to make sure the weather is good. We'll be monitoring that before we take off tomorrow at 4:00 in the morning. So please stand by and join us tomorrow when the team, all hale and hearty, heads up the hill, or not, depending on the weather.
Ciao for now, Vern Tejas at Camp 2

Dispatch from International Mountain Guides
Starting to Position for Summit Bids
May 17, 2008
Ang Jangbu reports that Dave and Nicky are back down to BC now, after spending the night at C3 and then climbing a short way above. Also yesterday, 5 sherpas carried to the South Col and now that camp is fully stocked and ready for the summit bids!! Eben and the trekkers had a nice visit to BC, including hiking up to the base of the Icefall yesterday, and today they are headed back down to Lukla, with several of them planning to climb Lobuche Peak on the way.
We have IMG Sherpas Danuru and Dawa heading tomorrow to C2 and on to the South Col the next day as members of the joint expedition Sherpa fixing team doing the rope fixing to the Balcony and above. The plan is to get the rope fixed on the 20th, with the first summit bids on the 21st.
This morning (the 18th in Nepal time) Scott, Adam and Bob Lowry with their personal sherpas and Casey and his team (Bob and Ari) headed up for their summit bids. They all went to C1 with the exception of Scott and Kami who went on to C2. They are scheduled to go for the summit on 21st or 22nd.
IMG climbers Joe, Kurt, Chip, and Vance and their sherpas are planning to head up tomorrow, with Justin, Dean, Jaroslaw, Ryan, Rohan, Serge, Tim, Val, Monty and their sherpas heading up the next day. We'll let you know more as everyone's final timetables becomes clear. So far so good!
—Eric Simonson, IMG Director

Dispatch from International Mountain Guides
Stocking Upper Camps for Summit Bids
May 14, 2008
IMG Leaders Tucker and Jangbu report that the big build-up at the South Col continues, with 19 Sherpas successfully making the Big Carry today. There is getting to be a good supply of oxygen and gear up there now, with more on the way! Over the next few days we hope to complete the stocking of Camp 3 and Camp 4 in preparation of the summit bids. For tomorrow, we have 14 Sherpas heading back to the Col and 9 going to Camp 3. Hahn and Nicky are now at C2, heading for C3 tomorrow. All the IMG climbers are now back to BC, with the exception of Casey and crew, who will be back tomorrow from their trip down valley. We'll keep you posted!
—Eric Simonson, IMG Director

Dispatch from International Mountain Guides
Climbers Acclimatizing and Watching the Weather
May 13, 2008
IMG Leader Mark Tucker reports that after some snowstorm last night, which made things questionable this past morning, the Sherpas at C2 decided to pull the trigger on the Col carry. They left at 5am from C2 and nine of them climbed to the Col today — we now have 29 cylinders of O2 up there. Chip/Jamling, Vance/Pemba Dorje are back to C2 from their overnight at C3. Justin, Dean, Jaroslaw, Val, and Hamill went to C3 today and are back to C2.
Tomorrow we have 22 sherpas climbing from C2 to the Col. All the team members currently at C2 will be coming back to BC tomorrow. Dave and Nicky are now at C1, going to C2 tomorrow. Casey and crew are still R and R down in Pheriche. Eben and the trekkers are at Gorak Shep.
The forecast from our custom forecaster Michael Fagin (www.everestweather.com) suggests that we will continue to see some moisture coming up from Bay of Bengal, so there will be intermittent snowfall, but the jet stream is out of the region with no signs of it being over Everest for the next 7 to 10 days.

Dispatch from Project Himalaya
12 May - This weather
Today was meant to be a big day, the sherpas at C2 were going to carry to South Col. The emphasis is on big, a climb from 6400m to 7900m and back, but at 2am it was gusty, foggy and blowing lots of snow, not suitable conditions for crossing the Lhotse Face.
Neither were conditions any good at BC, where Dawa and Tawa woke up at 2am for a load carry to C2. They bailed.
The rest of us were under no such conditions and Jamie's rousing at 9am was not appreciated. Except that the Spanish omelet really was rather nice (and authentic - thanks, Sarki!). We discussed the latest conditions and have made plans, we will stay low for at least a few days. Raphael headed to Dingboche for a couple of nights to clear a cough and possible sinus infection; he didn't descend the last time most of us did.

Dispatch from International Mountain Guides
Sherpas Carrying to Col; Climbers Going Higher
May 11, 2008
IMG Leaders Ang Jangbu and Mark Tucker report: today was a Big Day — the route the the South Col (Camp 4) is now in and IMG sherpas Phunuru, Mingma Tenzing and Nima Karma have already put some loads up there!! If the weather is good we have 8 sherpas carrying to the Col tomorrow: Gyalzen Dorje, Dawa Nuru, Arita, Kancha Nuru, Ang Nima, Phinjo, Panuru and Mingma Tshering. Tomorrow we have 17 more IMG Sherpas moving up to C2 from BC for a few days of Big Carries to the Col. These guys will each make several round trips to the Col from C2, with the fastest ones able to carry two O2 cylinders from C2 to the Col and return to C2 in 7 hours. Incredible! Some of sherpas may do more — they make a lot of bonus money doing these C4 carries, so this is where the strongest ones really rack up the cash. We will not actually establish Camp 4 until it is time to occupy the camp, since the wind will trash the tents.
Camp 3 is now established at 24,000 feet on the Lhotse Face, and Chip/Jamling and Vance/Pemba Dorje are sleeping there tonight. Scott, Adam and Joe climbed to C3 today and came down to C2. Weather permiting, Justin and crew and maybe Val and Monty are planning to go for C3 in the morning, with Chip and Vance back down to C2. Hamill, Tim, Bob, Ryan and crew are at C2. Suk Bahadur is carrying some gear to C3 for those who are moving to 3 tomorrow.
Other members are at BC. Casey and crew are heading to Pheriche in the morning for a few days rest before summit push. The second EBC trek group is now at Dingboche. IMG guide Eben Reckord is with them and they were able to talk to Base Camp today on the radio. Everything is going well for them and they are planning to go to Lobuje tomorrow and Gorakshep the next day.
—Eric Simonson, IMG Director

More dispatches and weather reports on the second page.

Weather Map courtesy of http://wxmaps.org
The map above is the 200 millibar chart (which is at about 39,000 feet- 11,818 meters) and this is generally where the jet stream can be found. The wind speeds are colored coded. The lightest color have winds of 40 knots (20 meters per second) and the darkest colors have winds of 200 knots (100 meters per second)

Winds in jet stream usually exceed 80 knots (40 meters per second) Mount Everest is located in the northeast corner of Nepal.

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