Record Low Snow in Hindu Kush Himalaya Threatens Water Supply

ICIMOD, April 24, 2026

2026 marks the fourth consecutive year of below-average snow conditions in the Hindu Kush Himalaya, with regional snow levels falling 28% below average, surpassing last year’s record deficit of 24%. The Hindu Kush Himalaya relies heavily on snowpack and glaciers as a key freshwater source for over two billion people, with snowmelt supplying about one-fourth of total river runoff, helpimg sustain water flows before the monsoon months. Snow persistence – the duration snow remains on the ground after snowfall – was below average in ten out of the twelve major river basins in the region from Nov 2025-March 2026. The most alarming declines in snow persistence were observed in the Mekong (60%) and Tibetan Plateau (47%), followed by Salween (42%), Yellow River (36%), Amu Darya (32%), and Tarim (27%). The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), which produced this annual report, warns that reduced snow reserves could lower river runoff in early summer, threatening hydropower generation, agriculture, irrigation, and drinking water supplies, particularly in snow-dominated western basins such as the Amu Darya, Helmand, Indus, and Tarim river basins.

ICIMOD Snow Update Report 2026 | ICIMOD Press Release | News