The weather service is working hard on preparing for one of the pre-Games highlights, the Olympic torch ascent of the top of Mount Qomolangma (Everest), as Chinese mountaineers still have to wait for the marching orders after the Himalayas region was hit by two days's snowstorm.

After running through 19 countries on its international leg, the Beijing Games' torch has returned to China for a three-month tour of the entire country, including Qomolangma ascent on a day in May when the weather condition is most suitable.

"Mountaineering is a complicated task and all the factors have to be considered. If now I can call the shots, the ascent is just as easy as can be done every day," said Chinese Mountaineering Team's spokesman Zhang Zhijian on Monday when asked about which day the ascent over the Tibetan peak can be fulfilled.

According to earlier reports, the Chinese Mountaineering Team, consisting of 50 people in its draft version, have reached the Base Camp at about 5,200 meters but is practising between different camps with different altitude in a bid to get used to the high elevation.

The snowfall seemed to dent the attempt but one of the Qomolangma weather service official, Zhang Zhigang, told Xinhua at the Base Camp that the weather is being under estimation and snow does not really bear a negative impact upon the ascent.

"The snow might hamper the progress of the torch climbers but the wind is also getting weaker at the peak, so it is hard to say what impact it can make for now," he said.

"What we did is to find out the balance between wind and snow and pick up the best day for our mountaineers."

Zhang Zhijian on Monday also warned a late ascent as in history most of the successful ascents happened in late May while early May only stand a minor percentage.

"Mountaineering is a talk with nature, so we have to show respect to science and nature. If not, we will lose. The timing for climb could not be decided by a whim," said Zhang.

The torch relay for the Beijing Olympics, which starts when it is lit in Ancient Olympia, Greece, on March 24, will visit Tibet twice.

When the flame arrived in Beijing on March 31 before embarking on its journey around the world, a second torch was lit from it and taken to Tibet, where Chinese climbers will attempt to take it to the top of Mount Qomolangma.

Tibet also forms part of the domestic leg of the relay, touring in Shannan on June 19 and Lhasa in the following two days.

According to measurements made by scientists in 2005, the altitude of Mount Qomolangma is 8844.43 meters, 3.70 meters lower than the figure obtained in 1975.

(Xinhua News Agency May 6, 2008)