The direct impact of climate change will be on agricultural and horticultural crops
This is the third consecutive year of drought and failed snowfall in Himachal Pradesh
In 2021, a devastating flash flood created havoc in Chamoli district
The Himalayas are a treasure house of natural resources, nurturing fragile ecosystems, sustaining their glacier-fed river systems, and supporting the livelihoods of communities, not only in the hills but also across the plains of northern India and beyond.
They are, indeed, a vital ecological lifeline.
But these days, the Himalayas are grappling with unprecedented signs of ecological stress. This has manifested itself in: Failed winter rains, erratic snowfall, a seasonal weather cycle of the mountains, vanishing natural water streams and dried-up rivulets, and pale, leafless orchards.
Both Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are on the brink of a crisis that is bound to severely impact the states’ rural economy, specifically the agriculture and horticulture crops, along with causing water scarcity during the summers for drinking and irrigation purposes.
Weather experts admit that December 2025 marked a sharp departure from the Himalayan winter norm, with Uttarakhand recording a 100 per cent deficit in rainfall and snowfall, said to be the highest in at least a decade. Himachal Pradesh is equally impacted.
The ongoing lack of rain and snowfall is a matter of serious concern for residents of the hills, even those in the lower plains, because of their dependency on the Himalayan rivers and ecosystem.
According to IMD data, December 2025 faced unusual conditions on account of the failure of the rains, which was the sixth-lowest December rainfall on record.
Himachal Pradesh recorded zero rainfall in December during the years 1902, 1907, 1925, 1939 and 1993, while 2016 recorded only 2.2 mm of rainfall, far below normal. The conditions are equally awful in the month of November 2025.
The month of November recorded a 95 per cent rain deficit, making November 2025 one of the driest on record for the state. This was the 9th-lowest November rainfall since 1901.
The district-wise scenario was equally distressing, with Sirmaur posting a 100 per cent rain deficit, while Shimla, Mandi, Kangra, Hamirpur, and Chamba recorded a 99 per cent deficit, followed by Kullu and Una with a 96 per cent rain deficit.
Even as days are notably clear and marked by bright sunshine-- a striking contrast to what the plains of the north are facing due to dense fog and toxic air quality.
Dr Suresh Attri, Chief Scientific Officer in the Department of Environment, Science, Technology, and Climate Change, attributes the conditions to clear evidence of climate change. “Every year, we are witnessing conditions that are seriously worrying and also alarming. Two months—November and December 2025 have gone totally dry—no rain and no snowfall. Further, there is a huge variation in the daily temperature and freezing nights,” he points out.
The direct impact of climate change will be on agricultural and horticultural crops. The apple crop needs sufficient chilling hours to get ready for the next crop. Snow acts as natural manure, and rain gives the apple plants healthy soil moisture.
Prakash Thakur, an orchardist and former Director of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), paints a stark picture: “We are living in a state of perpetual crisis. This is the third consecutive year of drought and failed snowfall. This indicates a multi-year trend. Apple trees will not be able to sustain these kinds of conditions indefinitely. What we are witnessing is nothing less than an unnatural death of Himachal Pradesh’s apple industry,” he warns.
Jammu & Kashmir also has experienced a significant shortfall, registering nearly an 86 per cent rain deficit and a 46.6 per cent drop in the snowfall as a result of several areas of the Union Territory being in the grip of water shortage.
“The meteorologists attribute the dry spell primarily to the prolonged absence of western disturbances—low-pressure systems that typically bring winter precipitation to North India,” says a senior MeT scientist at IMD Shimla.
Historically, December usually marks the onset of sustained snowfall across the Himalayas, replenishing snowpacks and laying the groundwork for spring melt. This season, these systems remained weak and sporadic, resulting in reduced snowfall.
S. S. Randhawa, a former principal scientist at the HP Council for Science, Technology, and Environment, recalls, “During this period, the high mountain peaks are typically loaded with a thick blanket of snow—a white charm that plays a crucial role in recharging river flows, sustaining springs, and maintaining ecological balance across the Himalayan region.”
Randhawa, an experienced geologist, also points out the fact that glaciers, being a vast heritage and valuable natural resource of sustained water reservoirs, have become vulnerable due to climate change.
The delay in snowfall doesn’t benefit snow accumulation; instead, it melts rapidly. As glaciers continue to melt, the lack of fresh snowfall means they are not being replenished at all, posing a serious long-term threat to the fragile Himalayan ecosystem,” he informs.
Some media reports in Uttarakhand suggest that failed winter rains and delayed snowfall can result in the bursting of the glaciers, creating conditions like the Chamoli disaster.
In 2021, a devastating flash flood triggered by a massive ice-rock avalanche from the slopes near Ronti Peak and the Nanda Devi area had created havoc in Chamoli district, resulting in the surge of water and debris that swept through the Rishiganga and Dhauliganga river systems.
“In 2012, the seasonal snow cover failed to accumulate, accelerating surface melting and leaving the mountains increasingly vulnerable due to temperature fluctuations”, recalls Druv Bhat, Chamoli-based environment activist.
