As the plains of North India shiver under a bone-chilling cold wave, with temperatures in cities like Gurugram plunging to a near-freezing 0.6°C, a far more alarming and paradoxical crisis is unfolding in the mountains above. The Himalayas, usually draped in a thick "winter armour" of white snow by mid-January, are currently standing bare, brown, and increasingly, on fire.
This is the winter of 2026, and the "Third Pole" is facing a historic "snow drought" that scientists warn could redefine the region's ecological and economic future.
The Vanishing White: In a typical year, the ski slopes of Auli in Uttarakhand and Gulmarg in Kashmir would be bustling with international tourists carving through feet of fresh powder. This year, they are barren stretches of dry grass and rock. Footage from Auli shows a grim reality: instead of skiing, locals are staging protests and burning effigies, demanding government intervention as their tourism-dependent livelihoods evaporate alongside the snow.
The data is stark. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and recent studies, the region is witnessing precipitation deficits of up to 86% in some areas for the November and December. The Western Disturbances, which are moisture-laden storm systems from the Mediterranean that traditionally blanket the Himalayas in winter snow, have been "weak, erratic, and largely absent," according to meteorologists.
In the Ganga Basin alone, snow persistence is down by over 24%, a deficit that threatens the water security of nearly 2 billion people downstream who rely on glacial melt for their rivers in the summer.
Winter Wildfires: An Ecological Anomaly Perhaps the most terrifying symptom of this dry spell is the eruption of forest fires in peak winter, a phenomenon virtually unheard of in Himalayan history. Usually, January is a month of deep freeze and moisture; this year, it is a season of smoke.
Satellite data analysed by India Today and the Forest Survey of India reveal a shocking spike in fire alerts. Uttarakhand alone has recorded over 1,700 fire alerts since November, a figure that eclipses fire-prone states like Maharashtra. From the sacred forests of Kedarnath and Gangotri to the valleys of Shimla and Kullu, the "winter wildfires" are raging through brittle, dry pine forests.
The crisis extends to the sensitive border regions of Jammu and Kashmir. In a tragic incident in Anantnag, a forest guard lost his life battling a blaze. Even more alarming, a fire in the Poonch sector reportedly spread into mined areas along the Line of Control, triggering a series of landmine explosions, a stark testament to how volatile the landscape has become.
A "New Normal"? : Experts argue this is not a one-off anomaly but a glimpse into a terrifying "new normal" driven by climate change. Over the past 2-3 years, average snowfall in the Himalayan region has been far below the long-period average of 1980-2020.
The consequences are cascading. Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir are staring at crop failures as the necessary "chilling hours" for the fruit are not met. The lack of snow cover means the soil is exposed to direct sun, drying it out further and creating a tinderbox for fires.
As 2026 begins with this "silent crisis," the message from the mountains is loud and clear: the Himalayas are no longer just melting; in the absence of snow, they are beginning to burn.
As the plains of North India shiver under a bone-chilling cold wave, with temperatures in cities like Gurugram plunging to a near-freezing 0.6°C, a far more alarming and paradoxical crisis is unfolding in the mountains above. The Himalayas, usually draped in a thick "winter armour" of white snow by mid-January, are currently standing bare, brown, and increasingly, on fire.
This is the winter of 2026, and the "Third Pole" is facing a historic "snow drought" that scientists warn could redefine the region's ecological and economic future.
The Vanishing White: In a typical year, the ski slopes of Auli in Uttarakhand and Gulmarg in Kashmir would be bustling with international tourists carving through feet of fresh powder. This year, they are barren stretches of dry grass and rock. Footage from Auli shows a grim reality: instead of skiing, locals are staging protests and burning effigies, demanding government intervention as their tourism-dependent livelihoods evaporate alongside the snow.
The data is stark. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and recent studies, the region is witnessing precipitation deficits of up to 86% in some areas for the November and December. The Western Disturbances, which are moisture-laden storm systems from the Mediterranean that traditionally blanket the Himalayas in winter snow, have been "weak, erratic, and largely absent," according to meteorologists.
In the Ganga Basin alone, snow persistence is down by over 24%, a deficit that threatens the water security of nearly 2 billion people downstream who rely on glacial melt for their rivers in the summer.
Winter Wildfires: An Ecological Anomaly Perhaps the most terrifying symptom of this dry spell is the eruption of forest fires in peak winter, a phenomenon virtually unheard of in Himalayan history. Usually, January is a month of deep freeze and moisture; this year, it is a season of smoke.
Satellite data analysed by India Today and the Forest Survey of India reveal a shocking spike in fire alerts. Uttarakhand alone has recorded over 1,700 fire alerts since November, a figure that eclipses fire-prone states like Maharashtra. From the sacred forests of Kedarnath and Gangotri to the valleys of Shimla and Kullu, the "winter wildfires" are raging through brittle, dry pine forests.
The crisis extends to the sensitive border regions of Jammu and Kashmir. In a tragic incident in Anantnag, a forest guard lost his life battling a blaze. Even more alarming, a fire in the Poonch sector reportedly spread into mined areas along the Line of Control, triggering a series of landmine explosions, a stark testament to how volatile the landscape has become.
A "New Normal"? : Experts argue this is not a one-off anomaly but a glimpse into a terrifying "new normal" driven by climate change. Over the past 2-3 years, average snowfall in the Himalayan region has been far below the long-period average of 1980-2020.
The consequences are cascading. Apple farmers in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir are staring at crop failures as the necessary "chilling hours" for the fruit are not met. The lack of snow cover means the soil is exposed to direct sun, drying it out further and creating a tinderbox for fires.
As 2026 begins with this "silent crisis," the message from the mountains is loud and clear: the Himalayas are no longer just melting; in the absence of snow, they are beginning to burn.
