March 05, 2025
Dry Winter Followed by Late, Heavy Snowfall — Recipe for Disaster
No snow -> No glaciers -> No rivers -> No water for millions downstream
What's happening?
- Jammu & Kashmir experienced an almost snowless Chillai Kalan (the 40-day harsh cold spell), then received 311% excess precipitation within 24 hours on February 27, causing river overflow and highway closures.
- Similarly, Uttarakhand had only 9% normal rainfall, then received 37.1 mm within 24 hours starting February 27.
- Snowfall is shifting to February-March instead of December-January. Late snow on warmer ground creates weak snow layers, increasing avalanche risk. Snow melting quickly prevents glacier formation.
Why should you care?
- These trends threaten more frequent and intense flash floods, avalanches, landslides, and glacier retreat across the Himalayas.
- Glacier retreat has consequences far beyond the mountains — it affects water security for the entire Indo-Gangetic plain that depends on glacier-fed rivers.