Himalayas shocker, warn glaciologists: Deficit snowfall poses risk of glacial lake outburst

Shimla: The reduced snowfall in the Himalayas increases glacial lakes that pose a growing risk of lake outburst floods in the Himalayas, warn glaciologists.

They call for increasing preparedness, international cooperation and climate adaptation.

The Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh received large deficit winter precipitation of 31 per cent since January 1 with nine out of 12 districts having received deficient precipitation, says the Meteorological Centre in Shimla.

The highest cumulative monthly rainfall in winter in Himachal Pradesh occurred in 1954, it says, adding the state received isolated rainfall in January with weak activity on many days and one day of normal activity on January 31.

In February, the state received five spells of precipitation with moderate precipitation at few places. Kullu and Mandi districts received normal rainfall with excess precipitation in Chamba district.

Meteorologists told IANS that warmer winters continued for the second consecutive year across India.

The cumulative countrywide rainfall from January 1 to February 29 is a large deficit by 33 per cent. The actual rainfall recorded during the winter season was 26.8 mm against the normal average of 39.8 mm.

According to meteorologists, increasing global warming has been altering the weather patterns, leading to anomalies in the temperatures and rainfall patterns.

The prime weather system, western disturbances, continued to dodge western Himalayas as they mostly travelled in the upper latitude.

Western disturbance is known to drive the weather activities and bring winters to northwest India and adjoining areas of central India. Both the intensity as well as frequency of western disturbances has been on the lower side this winter season.

Western disturbances are primarily disturbances originating in the west and travelling in the upper atmosphere in the subtropical westerly jet and arriving in the Indian sub-continent during the winter time. Their frequency peaks during December to February, with an average number of four to five per month.