In August 2024, Om Parvat, a mountain peak in the Vyas valley of Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, India, experienced a precariously unprecedented and highly alarming event delineating the complete disappearance of snow. The Om Parvat peaks at an elevation beyond 5000 m above sea level, and the disappearance of snow even at such a high elevation poses critical warnings and concerns among scientists, policymakers, and local communities, highlighting the urgent need for action against climate change. The snowless summer of 2024 is not merely an isolated event but rather a manifestation of broader climatic shifts affecting mountain ecosystems globally. There have been several previous markers indicating the harsh reality of the effects of climate change in the central Himalayas in terms of extreme events, and the Om-Parvat events marks one of the first which may indicate towards a highly possible warmer winter in 2024.
An investigation to analyse the implications of the snow disappearance at Om Parvat was conducted by Hemant Singh (Prime Minister Research Fellow) and Arslaan Akhtar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu under the supervision of Dr. Divyesh Varade (Assistant Professor- Department of Civil Engineering). They analysed various climatic parameters, including land surface temperature, snow cover area, soil temperature, and air temperature, over a period from January 2016 to August 2024 against a reference period from 1990-2015. The study utilized remotely sensed imagery and reanalysis datasets to track and analyse the changes in these parameters. MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro- radiometer) data was employed to assess snow cover area and land surface temperature anomalies, while ERA5 reanalysis data provided insights into air temperature and soil temperature fluctuations. The investigations also incorporated high-resolution images from Planet Labs to document snow cover dynamics over the years.
Although the study is under process for formal publication, some of the key inferences from the study are summarized here. One of themost significant findings was the land surface temperature anomaly recorded in August 2024 was 4.62°C higher than the 14-year average (2002-2015) shown in figure 3(a), indicative of the significantly warming trend that has been progressively intensifying in this region. Further, a critical reduction insnow cover was observed in the region with an estimated overall loss of 26 km² between January and August 2024. In January 2024, the snow cover area was recorded to be 66 km² less, highlighting the extent of the reduction in January to August 2024. The analysis of Planet Labs images from 2016 to 2024 revealed prevailing snow cover typically of the order of 0.5 km² in August. However, in 2024, this prevailing snow also completely disappeared as shown in figure 1.
The implications of these findings extend critically beyond the loss of snow cover. The early snowmelt and subsequent exposure of the ground to sun have led to a significant increase in soil temperatures, with depths of up to 289 cm showing temperature rises of 2.81°C, 3.58°C, and 0.54°C corresponding to the 25- year reference period (1990-2015) in May, June, and July 2024, respectively. This warming of the soil poses a severe threat to the stability of the region’s permafrost and rock glaciers.
Permafrost, which is the permanently frozen ground, plays a crucial role in maintaining the stability of mountainous terrains in cold regions. As soil temperatures rise, permafrost begins to thaw, leading to the destabilization of rock glaciers. This process enhances the regional vulnerability and can trigger landslides, rockfalls,
and formation of thermokarst lakes (bodies of water that form when ice-rich permafrost thaws).
We analysed the Sentinel-1 C-band radar backscatter response along the longitudinal profile
of Om Parvat. We analysed the mean backscatter response for two consecutive years of 2023 and 2024 for the month of June, July and August. The backscatter response showed significant declination indicatingincreased wet conditions suggesting a significant rise in the moisture content in the region, further affirming the prevailing thawing conditions in the region.
The potential for such events at the Om Parvat region raises serious concerns about the safety of local communities and the long-term stability of the region’s infrastructure. This case study underscores the urgent need for continued monitoring and mitigation efforts to combat the escalating impacts of global warming. The depictions and observations on the Om Parvat are evidential indicators of the ill impacts of climate change in the region which constitutes one of the more fragile environments in the Indian Subcontinent. Several initiatives on climate change mitigation at both policy level and ground level are being considered by the Government of India, such as net zero emission policy. The complete disappearance of snow at the Om Parvat presents a unique case for inclusion and rethinking the strategies forged already for further reinforcement. Understandably international cooperation, climate finance, and initiatives at the grassroots levels are essential to help vulnerable regions like the Himalayas adapt to the changing climate.
Authors: HemantSingh (Prime Minister Research Fellow) and Arslaan Akhtar from IIT Jammu
Another Silent Cry from Himalayas: The case of rising temperatures on Om-Parvat
