The summer season in Kashmir marks its onset in the mid of the month of May however this year the wet and cold weather conditions have prolonged sounding an alarm regarding the prevalent changing weather patterns in Kashmir valley.
In recent years, climate change has had a starking impact across the globe leading to a drastic change in the weather patterns , likewise Kashmir has not remained unaffected by the manifesting climatic patterns that have set new challenges for the environmental experts and the people..
According to environmental experts Kashmir is already witnessing an adverse fall out of the changing climate attributed to global climate change.
Prof. Shakeel Ahmad Ramshoo who is presently Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University of Science and Technology Awantipora , environmental expert and former HOD department of the earth Sciences University of Kashmir) has pursued a number of studies on changing weather patterns in Kashmir .
Dr. Romshoo has also studied melting of prominent glaciers in the state due to extreme climatic conditions.
He says that changing weather was due to global warming and the impact of climate change in the valley.
“The world is undergoing climate change as a result of global warming. Our valley has not remained unaffected. The change in the weather conditions of Kashmir is the outcome of changing climatic conditions that have led to either massive precipitations like we are witnessing at present or prolonged dry spells,” Prof Romshoo said.
“Kashmir is witnessing massive rainfall at present or at times the temperatures rise significantly. All these trends are a sign of impacting global warming in Kashmir,” Prof Romshoo said.
During the past few years Kashmir has witnessed prolonged dry spells. At times the snowfall has been less which environmentalists believe that the trend was also triggered by warming of the globe that has induced climate change.
The experts believe that less or more precipitation or the occurrence of frequent cloudbursts indicates the impact of climate change over the environment of Kashmir valley.
“The weather pattern in Kashmir valley has become irregular and uncertain. This is because we are under the impact of climate change,” Prof Shakeel Romshoo said.
Pertinent to mention here, Since the month of April, the weather in Kashmir has remained not only rainy but non-seasonal snowfall also occurred along higher reaches of Kashmir several times in the current year.
According to a data provided by meteorological department , May 2023 was one of the wettest May recorded in last 10 years. The rainfall received in different stations include Kokernag 215 mm, Pahalgam 176 mm, Gulmarg 148 mm, Kulgam 132 mm, Shopian 70 mm, Bandipora 70 mm, Ganderbal 100 mm, Kupwara 65 mm, Srinagar 86 mm, Jammu 90 mm, Poonch 203 mm, Rajouri 140 mm, Ramban 182 mm, Kathua 24 mm and Kishtwar 25 mm which is the highest in last ten years.
The environmental experts believe the changing climatic patterns of valley have signaled an adverse climatic fluctuation as a result of intruding change in climate of Kashmir.
The environmentalists are of the opinion that fluctuating climate, such as less snowfall , heavy rains, frequent cloud bursts , were due to the existing change in global weather conditions
According to environmentalists and experts the recently prolonged wet spells and continued drop in temperature are the impact of global warming.
“ During past few years Kashmir valley has witnessed unprecedented fluctuations in weather pattern. While record precipitation occurs in summers, prolonged dry weather prevails during winter seasons” director meteorological office Srinagar, Sonam Lotus said.
Adding, “In winters, there are prolonged dry spells apart from increase in temperature. During the past several years we have seen less snowfall. The pattern is changing continuously.”
“Kashmir has received a record rainfall since 2014, when Kashmir valley witnessed massive floods. These changes are the result of global warming,” Sonam added.
Experts say that the variations in the climate was likely to cause environmental degradation.
“Sometimes we have dry spells and sometimes more precipitation. All these changing trends are the impact of global warming.” Prof Shakeel romshoo said.
The director meteorological department said , from 1st March to 31st May, Kupwara, Badgam, Shopian, Kishtwar and Kathua recorded deficit rainfall with departures -20 to -59 %. Poonch, Rajouri and Samba (Excess Rainfall with departures +20 to 59 %) and all other dists. (Normal rainfall with -19 to + 19 %).
Noted Environmental sciences expert Prof G A Bhat of Kashmir University said the changing trends of weather pattern was likely to pose threats of environmental hazards.
“At times we see a sudden increase in temperatures which is due to global warming . Recently we have seen frequent snow avalanches , landslides, cloudbursts which is triggered by change in climatic conditions. An increase in day temperatures in Kashmir signals global warming, at present we are witnessing excessive rainfall, therefore a drastic change has unseemly occurred,” he said.
Environmentalists said that heavy precipitation, reporting of avalanches, landslides, cloudbursts has immensely increased in recent years
