The Himalayas witnessed a fairly uncommon dry season this time with the intensity of snowfall remaining much lesser than the last few winters. The measure of snowfall received was entirely less even at the higher altitude areas of the hill states. Every year, crisp snow covers the entire Western Himalayas quite often. However, the scene was different this year.
The average snowfall this year has been inadequate by around 45 percent in Himachal Pradesh, and by 26 percent in Jammu and Kashmir, while it is as high as 53 percent in Uttarakhand, as indicated by data provided by Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE), a DRDO lab that screens snow action in the Himalayas.
Not JUST this, because of lesser rain and snow over the hills, the Northwestern plains additionally remained dry for the whole season. Temperatures in both the hills and plains also stayed on the higher side.
While some accuse environmental change of the dry season, according to Skymet, a solid El Nino may have brought about less rain and snow in the hills of North India.
Less snowfall has not only disappointed the tourists, but it has also affected the agriculture business. Out of all the most drastic effects of less snowfall, the scarcity fresh water can give may to innumerable issues on the national scale. There is a forecast of hotter temperature in the coming summers the nation over. The capacity levels of water in vital reservoirs are expected to stay well beneath normal.
This would affect freshwater inflow into the rivers, and lesser availability of water will have adverse effects on the irrigation sector along with hydropower production.
Information discharged by the Central Water Commission (CWC), which screens six noteworthy stores in north India, uncovered that as of April 7, water levels are 34 percent underneath normal in Punjab, 21 percent beneath normal in Himachal Pradesh.
The year 2015 was the third hottest year recorded subsequent to 1901, and this warming pattern has proceeded in January and February this year.
……..a rookie journalist
