The iconic snow-laden meadows of Gulmarg, one of Kashmir’s most popular winter tourism destinations, wear an unusually barren look this season. For the first time in ten years, the valley has not seen any snowfall, with the region recording unusually warm temperatures almost 10 to 12 degrees Celsius above normal averages.
The complete lack of snow until mid-January has left the beautiful vistas around Gulmarg bereft of their trademark white cover of snow. The slopes once buzzing with skiing enthusiasts now lie empty as temperatures hover between 13-15 degrees Celsius. Neither have the night temperatures dropped enough to allow freezing.
The unseasonal warmth has severely impacted local livelihoods dependent on tourism and winter sports. Hotel owners, sled ride operators, ski instructors as well as organizers of winter games like the Khelo India event are facing huge losses. Tourists, who arrived around New Year’s excited for snow-related activities, had to return disappointed at the bare brown slopes.
The regional Meteorological Department has forecast no possibility of snowfall in the Kashmir valley for another week at least. Locals fear that the region may not see any more snow this winter. This raises concerns on the long-term impact of climate change, pollution and global warming on local weather systems and economies.
In contrast, the Sinthan Top mountain, located in southern Kashmir at 12,414 feet altitude, has emerged as a winter attraction seeing consistent snowfall this year. Nearly 1.5 lakh tourists, including foreigners, have visited the pass since October 2022. With Gulmarg and other destinations snow-less, Sinthan Top remains the only place offering some snowcapped vistas.
But Gulmarg’s tourism stakeholders continue to suffer without the valley’s most iconic winter draws – snow-covered meadows and slopes. Environmentalists also worry that disappearing snow spells trouble for local ecology and increases disaster risks for communities in future.
