Record Breaking Heatwave of 2022 over the Northwest Himalayas of India: Drivers and Implications

Published: 16 February 2026. The Northwest Himalayas (NWH) are home to some of the largest glaciers outside the polar regions and serve as a vital water source for millions of people downstream. However, this region is also prone to multiple natural hazards, making it one of the most vulnerable zones globally. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the record-breaking heatwave of 2022 over the NWH, examining the primary atmospheric drivers and quantifying their impact on snow cover dynamics. Our analysis reveals that the March-April-May (MAM) mean temperature in 2022 was the highest since 1980. We further investigated the spatiotemporal variations of multiple temperature metrics, including maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), hotdays (TX90p), and Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI), along with precipitation, Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), and surface and upper atmospheric circulation anomalies. These anomalies exhibited spatial consistency, where the regional temperature extremes responded coherently to large-scale atmospheric circulations. The regions of high temperature extremes were triggered by extreme drought-like conditions, a persistent anticyclonic ridge at 500 hPa, and extreme temperature conditions. Additionally, snow cover retreated at an unprecedented rate throughout the NWH during March to May of 2022. Our findings suggest that extreme temperature anomalies were likely among the primary drivers of this record-breaking decline in snow cover. Linking the record-breaking 2022 heatwave to the lowest snow cover extent emphasizes the need to enhance climate resilience strategies in the Himalayas. Understanding the broad underlying mechanisms of such events is crucial for creating climate resilience strategies, especially as climate extremes intensify.

Recommended citation: Upadhyaya, A., Rai, A.K. (2026). "Record breaking heatwave of 2022 over the Northwest Himalayas of India: drivers and implications." Natural Hazards, 122, 292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-026-08056-2
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