Snowfall in Kashmir is rapidly declining

14-Jan-2026

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Kashmir’s winter is unfolding with much less snowfall than normal, and the impacts are already rippling through the region.

The popular mountainous region's water systems, farming communities, and tourism sector are facing direct consequences of the lack of snowfall.

This year’s near-absence of snow, especially in the plains and lower elevations, is more than a seasonal anomaly. It reflects deeper climatic shifts in the western Himalayas and is starting to show why snow is so vital to the life and economy of the Kashmir Valley.

“Kashmir’s snowless winter is an early warning of a deeper ecological and economic crisis," said Professor Anjal Prakash of the Indian School of Business and a contributor to the 7th IPCC climate assessment.