Uttarakhand Himalayas record warmest decade in a century; cold spells shrinking, heatwaves on the rise

The Uttarakhand Himalayas have witnessed the warmest decade in the past 100 years of climatic history, with a marked rise in temperatures and shrinking cold spells. Experts attribute this change to significantly altered monsoon patterns observed over the last ten years.

According to information shared by the Dehradun Meteorological Department and a study report by the expert organisation Climate Trend, the duration and intensity of heatwaves have increased, while cold waves have declined during this period.

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Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre, Dehradun, Chander Singh Tomar, said that weather patterns and their behaviour have changed notably between 2015 and 2024. He warned that these changes, coupled with unregulated human interference, have pushed the Himalayan region closer to an unprecedented level of disaster risk.

“Monsoon trends in the Himalayas, particularly in Uttarakhand, have changed significantly. The last ten years—from 2015 to 2024—have been the warmest period in the past century of Uttarakhand’s climatic history. The frequency and intensity of heatwaves have increased remarkably, while cold waves have declined considerably,” Tomar said.

He added that the Himalayas in general, and Uttarakhand in particular, are experiencing extreme weather phenomena. This has led to very high rainfall in districts such as Rudraprayag and Chamoli over the past five years, while areas like Pauri have recorded unusually low rainfall. Tomar noted that the steep rise in precipitation this year too reflects the extreme climatic changes underway in the Himalayas.

Similar concerns were raised in a report titled “Enhancing Multi-hazard Early Warning and Resilient Settlement in the Himalayan Region,” released by Climate Trend. The report warned that the Himalayas are at a critical juncture where climate change and unregulated human development are converging to create unprecedented disaster risks.

It further stated that rapidly changing climatic factors and unchecked human activities have heightened the threat of floods and other natural disasters in Uttarakhand.

“Accelerated glacial retreat, cloudbursts, and extreme rainfall have intensified the hazards of glacial lake outbursts, floods, and landslides. Additionally, human actions—particularly unregulated construction and settlements in high-risk zones—have greatly increased the vulnerability of communities in these regions,” the report said.