Winter Without Snow

Record-low snowfall in the Himalayas is evidence that climate change is speeding up

- ARSHINI SAIKIA AND CHIMI SELDON

MOUNTAIN PEAKS in the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region are usually blanketed by I snow during the winter. But this winter has been unusual. With little to no snowfall, the peaks are noticeably bare. The central region of high-altitude Hunza valley in northern Pakistan has not seen a single snowflake this winter. In Humla district of northwestern Nepal, Limi valley saw an unusual early snowfall event in late September but has since experienced a lack of precipitation.

In the HKH region, snow typically begins to accumulate around October or November and continues through March. However, temperatures have been warmer than average this season-2023 was the hottest year on record when global mean temperature rise crossed the guardrail of 1.5°C for the first time. This is a likely reason for the below-normal snow cover.