Warming Kashmir

After a week of showers, which mercifully brought temperatures down, Kashmir is bracing for yet another spell of heatwave. Meteorologists have warned of the temperatures climbing to 34-35°C in the plains. Srinagar has already touched 30°C, and if trends hold, we are staring at the second major heat episode in less than a month.

The irony is hard to miss: for a region known for its moderately warm summers and colder springs, the idea of a heatwave still feels unfamiliar, almost alien. But the data says otherwise. Just a few weeks ago, Kashmir experienced a searing spell from May 18 to 27, with temperatures soaring 6-8 degrees above normal. On May 22, Srinagar recorded one of its highest-ever temperatures at 34.4°C.

This isn’t just a weather story anymore, it’s climate change knocking at our doorstep. However, it is not just Kashmir. The heatwaves are sweeping the rest of the country too and besides their impact on agriculture, and water-availability in different regions, the rising temperatures are also leading to deaths - particularly among marginalised communities, including the daily wage workers, sanitation staff, and the elderly.

Kashmir thus must pay attention. We cannot afford to think of heatwaves as a “Delhi problem” or something that affects only the plains. Climate change has redrawn the boundaries of what regions are more or less at risk.With heatwaves being largely a novelty for us, our hospitals, municipal systems, etc, are simply not calibrated to respond to extreme heat.

That said, climate change is a global phenomenon and there’s much that we can do about this. Last year, Jammu and Kashmir recorded its lowest precipitation in over five decades, with rainfall plunging to just 870.9 mm - 29% below the annual average of 1232.3 mm. In recent years, summers have turned out to be drier and hotter than usual, which should be a source of concern for us. Thankfully, the winter was relatively good. Snow not just fell on higher reaches but has also blessed plains. That said, addressing the broader challenges of climate change and water management requires sustained efforts and long-term planning if we have to deal with the rising frequency of heatwaves in the coming year.