Kashmir’s cool charm fades as Valley battles unprecedented humidity
It’s the beginning, say experts
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: Kashmir, long celebrated for its crisp, dry summers, is now facing a new kind of discomfort — unrelenting humidity. Residents are struggling under unusually sultry conditions, with high moisture levels that are rare for the Himalayan valley.
“We have seen a sustained rise in dew points and night temperatures, which is very uncommon for Kashmir this time of year,” said a climatologist at Kashmir University. “This is a clear signal of a changing climate pattern.”
Humidity levels have spiked over the past two weeks, turning once-pleasant evenings into sticky, sleepless nights. According to the Meteorological Department in Srinagar, humidity has been hovering around 80-90 compared to the usual 50-60% in July.
“This kind of weather is typical for Delhi or Kolkata, not Srinagar,” said Sonam Lotus, former director of the J&K Meteorological Centre.
“The Valley is clearly experiencing shifts in its microclimate. We can no longer call such events anomalies. They are becoming the new normal,” he added.
Environmental experts attribute this discomforting change to altered wind circulation patterns, warming of the western Himalayan zone, and moisture incursion from southwesterly winds, which are now reaching deeper into Kashmir.
“Humidity, increased rainfall variability, and warmer nights are part of a package. This is the fingerprint of climate change in mountainous regions,” said Dr. R.K. Singh, a senior environmental scientist with the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM).
“We expect more such extremes in the coming years,” he added.
The persistent humidity is also impacting health and agriculture, with reports of rising cases of dehydration, fungal infections in crops, and stress on power infrastructure due to increased fan and AC usage — once uncommon in Kashmiri homes.
Citizens, farmers, and local officials are being urged to adapt to the evolving weather conditions. But experts insist that long-term mitigation efforts, including climate-resilient infrastructure and crop patterns, must begin immediately.
