Extreme Snowfall Threatens North India's Water Supply by 2026 Amidst Warming World

• Despite global warming, intense snowstorms are increasing due to climate change reshaping atmospheric circulation, not eliminating cold weather.
• Arctic amplification weakens the jet stream, allowing cold Arctic air to plunge southward while warmer oceans supply excess moisture, leading to severe snowstorms.
• A warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, intensifying precipitation; while winters are milder overall, cold events bring heavier snowfall.
• In North India, regions like Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand experience erratic, heavier snowfall due to altered Western Disturbances.
• Himalayan snowpack, a natural reservoir, is declining in persistence; faster melting threatens drinking water security for millions by 2026, especially during pre-monsoon months.

Why It Matters: Extreme snowfall in a warming world, driven by climate change, poses a severe threat to North India's water supply.