Blooming Too Soon

Almond trees in Kashmir have bloomed early again.

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Pale flowers fill the orchards even as winter should still hold its chill. Tourists see a postcard view, but farmers see a warming trend.Winter once brought weeks of snow and hard frost. Trees rested through long cold nights. Spring arrived on time, and farm work followed a fixed schedule. That schedule now shifts every year.

Temperature records point to a gradual rise in Jammu and Kashmir over recent decades. Winter nights feel milder than they once did. Snowfall has thinned and turned less reliable. Rain now arrives in short, heavy spells rather than gentle stretches.

Scientists link these shifts to global climate change, and mountain regions often warm faster than many lowland areas.