Professor Sati noted that last year was recorded as the hottest year in the past 100,000 years. “However, with the continuous rise in temperatures observed in 2024, it could turn out to be even hotter than last year,” he added. He explained that the increase in temperatures in Badrinath is attributed to seasonal variability, which is impacting not only snowfall but also local water sources.In an unprecedented turn of events, this marks the first time that the first week of December has passed without snowfall in Kedarnath. Dr Vijay Kant Purohit, Director of the High Altitude Plant Research Institute at HNB Central University in Srinagar, expressed concerns over the changing weather patterns. “The alterations in the weather cycle are not favourable,” he stated.He further explained, “The lack of snowfall means that glaciers are not receiving new snow, which will lead to melting starting as early as February. This poses a serious problem.”In a concerning development, environmentalist Dev Raghavendra informed , “The first week of December has passed, yet Kedarnath and other high-altitude mountains remain snowless. The Himalayan peaks also have only a negligible amount of snow, which is a serious cause for concern. Since September of this year, there has been neither rain nor snowfall in Kedarnath.”
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