Less winter snowfall is leaving the Himalayas bare and rocky in many areas where they should be covered in snow.
What's happening?
Scientists are reporting a concerning drop in winter snowfall and precipitation in the Himalayas. The BBC reported on the trend, adding that warmer weather is also quickly melting what little snow the region receives, while some lower-elevation areas are seeing less snow and more rain. The publication, citing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and other scientific reports, tied these trends at least partly to an overheating planet.
"There is now strong evidence across different datasets that winter precipitation in the Himalayas is indeed decreasing," Kieran Hunt, who co-authored a 2025 study that showed a decrease in precipitation in the western and part of the central Himalayas between 1980 and 2021, told the news site.
For instance, an inquiry by Hemant Singh at the Indian Institute of Technology in Jammu found that snowfall in the northwestern Himalayas decreased by 25% in the past five years compared to the 40-year long-term average.
Why are these changes concerning?
According to the BBC article, the reduction in snow and ice will impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people, along with the region's ecosystems. For instance, in the spring, snowmelt feeds rivers and streams, supplying local communities with water for drinking, irrigation, and hydropower. Drier conditions also increase the region's risk of forest fires.
Similar trends can be seen worldwide in recent years due to rising global temperatures, too. For instance, one ski resort community in Italy was left bare in early 2024 after an abnormally warm winter. Similarly, multiple ski resorts in the French Alps were forced to close in 2023 due to a lack of snow.
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What's being done about snow droughts?
One of the most impactful things anyone can do is stay up to date on critical climate issues to make better-informed decisions — for instance, who to vote for or how to get around town in more planet-friendly ways.
Some communities are taking impactful steps to mitigate warming by phasing out polluting fuels. For instance, Los Angeles recently banned the use of natural gas in newly constructed buildings.
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