E-Paper
J&K records 39% rain deficit in last quarter of 2025
In Ladakh, Kargil and Leh districts have received mere 3.7 mm and 1.9 mm precipitation respectively, falling short by a major 71%
Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have recorded a deficit of over 39% in season precipitation in the last quarter of 2025 despite widespread snowfall in the mountains in December, the meteorological data revealed on Friday.
The data showed that the Union territories collectively received 77.5 mm average rainfall from October 1 to December 31 against a normal of 127.7 mm. “It is almost a 39% deficit for J&K,” said an official of J&K MeT.
The higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh regions have received light to moderate snowfall intermittently since December 20 but not enough to fulfil the deficits of October and November.
Earlier the deficit in precipitation till from October 1 to December 25 had been around around 44% in J&K which came down to 39% after a spell of snowfall and rains over mountains in the last few days of the year.
In Ladakh, Kargil and Leh districts have received mere 3.7 mm and 1.9 mm precipitation respectively, falling short by a major 71%.
And the coming two weeks are again expected to be mainly dry. “No forecast of any strong Western Disturbance or major snowfall in Western Himalayàn regions viz Ladakh, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand atleast till January 15,” said Ladakh MeT director, Sonam Lotus. “Don’t lose hope as the main winter is not over,” he said on X.
Of the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, two districts - Shopian in South Kashmir and Kistwar in Jammu- have witnessed highest deficits of 78% and 76% respectively.
The data revealed that summer capital Srinagar recorded 53.8 mm (deficit 51%) rainfall during the period while winter capital Jammu witnessed 74.7 mm (22 % deficit).
Jammu and Kashmir, mostly Kashmir valley, has witnessed prolonged dry weather conditions mostly for the past three months causing the rivers to dry up and prompting dozens of incidents of forest fires, weather and forest experts said.
However, in a much sought relief from the long dry spell, there was widespread light snowfall in the mountains of Kashmir while the plains were lashed with rainfall from December 21 coinciding with the beginning of the harshest period of Valley’s winter- Chillai Kalan.
Chilai Kalan is usually the coldest period of the season with maximum snowfall expected till it ends by January end. The harsh winter period is followed by 20 more days which are less intense(called Chillai Khurd) and then lastly 10 days of mild cold (Chille Bache).
