What’s going on at Gulmarg?
Gulmarg, a town in Jammu and Kashmir, is famous for being full of snow at this time of the year. Many people go there to see the snow. Snowboarders and skiers come to have fun in the snowy town.
Unfortunately, this year there's not enough snow, which has disappointed both travellers and tourism operators.
Why is there a lack of snow in this region?
The area is facing a shortage of snow because of unusually dry weather. The entire western Himalayan region has been going through a long period of dry weather. Weather experts say this is due to the lack of significant western disturbances (WD), a storm that begins in the Mediterranean and moves across Asia.
Usually, strong WDs are responsible for bringing rain to the plains and snow to the hills. However, this time, there hasn't been much WD activity. Strong WD currents did not reach India this winter due to global warming.
Because of the dry weather, there's not much snow in Gulmarg. Even the little bit of snow that fell melted quickly because it has been unusually warm during the day. This lack of snow is affecting businesses in the area.
How are businesses in the area getting affected?
If the main attraction of an area is not present, businesses are affected. With not much snow in Gulmarg yet, fewer tourist activities are happening. Last January, many tourists visited Gulmarg, but this year, fewer are coming, say the officials.
This is not good for local businesses and tourism operators who need tourists to make a living. Sports tourism, which is usually a big deal here, is really suffering. A few people are only coming for leisure tourism.
Hotel owners in Gulmarg are worried about whether tourists will still come. But experts think there might be some snow in the next few days, which could bring tourists back. A local official says they're still hopeful for snow. They also want people to know that Gulmarg has more to offer than just snow. There are daily festivals and a lively atmosphere to enjoy.
