Srinagar: The ongoing wet spell in Jammu and Kashmir, triggered by a ‘mega western disturbance’, has majorly eased the region’s rainfall deficit, bringing it down from 80 percent to 42 percent, officials told PTI on Friday.
According to the local weather office, the Valley recorded above-normal precipitation between February 26 and 28.
“While the normal precipitation for this period is 15.5 mm, the actual recorded precipitation stood at 78.4 mm—407 percent above normal,” a weather department official told the news agency.
The impact was especially pronounced in Udhampur, which received 1,891 percent above-normal precipitation, while Ganderbal in Kashmir recorded 511 percent more than usual.
Despite the improvement, concerns remain. The overall precipitation for January and February stood at 131.5 mm, falling short of the normal 225.4 mm. Kulgam remains the most precipitation-deficit district at 69 percent, while Samba has recorded no deficit.
Weather experts have warned that while the recent rainfall has improved conditions, the long-term effects of climate change continue to loom large.
“Although this wet spell has helped, it does not change the bigger picture. The threat of climate change remains critical,” the report said quoting a weather expert.
Jammu and Kashmir had faced its driest year in five decades in 2024, with below-normal precipitation for the fifth consecutive year. Water levels in several water bodies had dropped below zero, and some springs in south Kashmir had dried up completely due to a receding water table.
In 2024, the region recorded just 870.9 mm of rainfall, significantly below the normal annual average of 1,232.3 mm. The previous year had already seen a seven percent rainfall deficit at 1,146.6 mm.
Environmentalists have also warned that Kashmir’s traditional snowfall patterns are changing, which could have lasting consequences on water resources and agriculture.
