The Vanishing Snow
that extends beyond aesthetics and tourism.
While certain areas, such as Sinthan Top in Kashmir and Auli in Uttarakhand witnessed a brief spell of snow last week, the delight was shortlived. Winter games, such as skiing in Gulmarg and ice hockey in Ladakh, have also been disrupted this year due to a lack of snow.
According to meteorological department data, in January UTs of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh received zero precipitation resulting in minus 100 percent departure while the hills of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have shown minus 99 percent departure.
A sliver of hope is that the local met departments have predicted that snowfall is anticipated in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh starting January 25.
Environment expert Sandip Singh highlighted that the current season’s absence of snow has not only resulted in a substantial decline in tourist arrivals and winter games but also poses a threat to water availability.
“It should also be a sign of worry for people in plains because the lack of snow in hills will ultimately lead to reduced water levels in rivers. Already, we are facing water-stressed conditions in many parts of India,” said Singh, Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Punjab.
“Glaciers serve as vital contributors to perennial rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Sutlej, etc., and the annual snowfall plays a crucial role in sustaining the ice in these glaciers. These rivers, along with their associated wetlands, play a pivotal role in groundwater recharge—a necessity for drinking water and irrigation,” he explained.
Observing that snowmelt contributes to soil moisture which is essential for plant growth, senior agriculture scientist Dr Shafat Ahmad Banday said, reduced snowfall, therefore, may result in water scarcity, affecting irrigation and overall crop productivity.
“Warmer winters may prompt farmers to adjust planting schedules. Crops may be planted earlier or later in response to changing patterns, impacting overall agricultural practices. Farmers may have to switch from rice to maize and beans production under such circumstances,” Bandey, an Associate Professor at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) in Srinagar, told PTI.
Concerns about altered flowering and fruiting seasons for horticultural crops further emphasise the intricate challenges faced by farmers.
“Failure to receive sufficient chilling will lead to erratic bud break, extend flowering, and create non-uniform flowering. This may also force early bud break,” Bandey explained.
Climate scientist K S Athira attributed the current absence of snow in north India to the declining number of western disturbances (WDs).
“These synoptic systems, originating from the Mediterranean region and travelling eastward, typically bring snow and rainfall to the northern regions of India during winter,” Athira, from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Mohali, told PTI.
Athira and her colleagues at IISER Mohali recently published a study