The time snow remains on the ground during the winter months — snow persistence, in scientific parlance — in the Himalayan Hindu Kush Region (HKH) has been coming down drastically in recent years. Four of the five winters between 2020-21 and 2024-25 saw below-normal snow persistence. According to a report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), released on Monday, the snow level plummeted to a record 23.6 per cent low in the winter of 2024-2025. When it melts in summer, the snow from the mountains contributes about a fourth of the run-off of the 12 major rivers in the region, including the Ganga, Indus, Brahmaputra, Mekong and Amu Darya. The winter season anomalies........

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