J&K’s high-altitude areas warmed by nearly 1°C in two decades: Study

Srinagar, Jul 11: High-altitude regions of Jammu and Kashmir, including the tourist destinations of Pahalgam and Gulmarg, have witnessed a temperature rise of nearly 1°C over the last two decades, highlighting the growing impact of climate change on the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, according to a new scientific study.
The study, titled “Warming of the High-Mountainous Climate Sensitive Jammu and Kashmir During the Period 1980–2024”, was conducted by researchers G.S. Gopikrishnan, Jayanarayanan Kuttippurath and V.M. Pranav Chandran from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.
The researchers analysed temperature records from 1980 to 2024 using observations from ten India Meteorological Department (IMD) stations across Jammu and Kashmir, including Jammu, Srinagar, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Kupwara, Kokernag, Qazigund, Banihal, Batote and Bhaderwah.
The study found that warming is not uniform across the region. Mid- and high-altitude areas have experienced a stronger rise in temperatures than lower-altitude locations, a phenomenon known as Elevation-Dependent Warming (EDW). The strongest warming was recorded during winter, particularly in daytime temperatures at higher elevations.
According to the findings, Pahalgam and Gulmarg have warmed by nearly 1°C over the past two decades, while several mid-elevation stations also showed significant increases in average temperatures. Bhaderwah recorded one of the highest annual warming trends of around 0.3°C per decade.
The study also found that night-time temperatures are increasing faster than daytime temperatures across many mountain stations. Minimum temperatures rose by 0.1°C to 0.5°C per decade in several mid- and high-altitude locations, indicating reduced night-time cooling.
Researchers attribute the winter warming at higher elevations mainly to surface albedo changes, where shrinking snow cover exposes darker ground that absorbs more solar radiation. Rising atmospheric moisture and increased longwave radiation were identified as key contributors to the rapid increase in night-time temperatures.
The authors cautioned that continued warming in Jammu and Kashmir’s mountain regions could have serious implications for glaciers, snow cover, river flows, biodiversity and water security, affecting millions of people dependent on Himalayan water resources.
While the study confirms significant warming trends across the region, the researchers noted that observations above 3,000 metres remain limited and called for a denser network of high-altitude weather stations to improve future climate assessments.
The findings add to growing evidence that the Western Himalaya is becoming increasingly vulnerable to climate change, underlining the need for stronger adaptation strategies to safeguard the region’s fragile mountain ecosystems and water resources. (KNO)