Natural atmospheric circulation patterns (like the Western Tibetan Vortex, or WTV) drive total cloud cover (TCC) change, which, in turn modulate the the amount of downward solar radiation reaching the surface.

Over southwest Asia, or the Tibetan Plateau, scientists (Wang et al., 2026) indicate the satellite-observed increase in downward shortwave (DSW) “is the primary driver” of modern warming.

For example, the WTV-induced 11% decline in total cloud cover produced a 7 W/m² increase in DSW, explaining the 1.87 K regional temperature increase.

CO2 is not indicated as a contributing factor in recent Tibetan Plateau warming.

Image Source: Wang et al., 2026