Srinagar, June 10 -- The intense hailstorms that have repeatedly struck Kashmir during March, April, and May over the past few years are often viewed as isolated weather events. However, from a hydroclimatic perspective, these storms represent a broader shift occurring within the Himalayan climate system. The recent hailstorm episodes, which caused significant damage to orchards and agricultural lands across the Valley, should not merely be regarded as agricultural disasters; they are warning signals of changing atmospheric and hydrological processes in the region.

Mountain environments are particularly sensitive to climate change. The Himalayas are warming at a rate faster than the global average, altering temperature patterns, snow cov...