Is climate change affecting the Ice Cave?
As a natural system, the Ice Cave is undoubtedly tied to the climate. Over the years as a part of natural climate cycles, the effects are evident in the ever changing ice mass formation. More or less net ice mass accumulation, more or less icicles form, cycles of other ice formations in other parts of the cave are almost always different from year to year. Natural climate cycles related to the phenomenon of the El Nino and La Nina weather patterns are very evident when they occur. Long and very wet monsoon seasons that bring warm summer rains are the most obvious as they will deposit several inches of water on top of the ice floor that may take several months to freeze completely to form new ice layers. Over the years, data collected from the many scientific studies indicate that the temperature in the cave has been stable. This is good news. However, it must be noted that the temperature in the cave is indeed freezing at 30 degrees Fahrenheit, but that temperature is really just barel
