India, Jan. 14 -- Uttarakhand and the wider Central Himalayan region are experiencing an unusually dry winter marked by a near absence of rain and snowfall, triggering crop losses, forest fires and concerns about long-term impacts on glaciers.

The state is facing a hydrological drought, with no significant precipitation recorded so far this winter. Scientists warn that the lack of snow could push the mass balance of glaciers in Uttarakhand into negative territory, meaning they lose more ice than they gain.

Rabi crops are drying up across several districts, while forests in high-altitude areas have seen fires break out despite freezing night-time temperatures. In Chamoli district, the administration has sought assistance from the Air For...