August in Ladakh is a time of golden fields and harvest songs, not snowstorms. Yet in 2025, this rhythm broke. Panikhar village in Ladakh woke beneath fifteen centimetres of snow, an unseasonal blanket that changed the functioning of the valley and stunned its people. What began as a glaciological field trip turned into a firsthand encounter with climate uncertainty. This blog captures those extra ...[Read More]
When August Brought Snow: Unseasonal Snowfall Disrupts Life in Ladakh’s High Valley Village
(a) Regional map showing the study area (red box). (b–c) Satellite-derived snow/no-snow classification for August 2024 and August 2025, highlighting a substantial snow cover in 2025. (d) Field photograph of unexpected late-summer snowfall over agricultural fields and settlement areas. (e) Close-up showing freshly fallen snow over standing crops. Color legend indicates snow (light blue) and no-snow (dark blue).