Srinagar, July 4 -- The plains and mountainous regions of Kashmir are warming faster than foothills and Karewa areas, with Srinagar (a floodplain) showing the highest rate of increase, partly due to urban heat island effects.

Data indicates a notable temperature jump around 1996-1997, with recent decades being warmer than the earlier years analyzed.

This rise in temperature is linked to worrying changes in agricultural patterns, including early flowering of crops like apples and oilseeds, which reduces yields and affects crop quality.

While temperatures rise, the Kashmir Valley is experiencing a sharp decline in precipitation. The annual rainfall has decreased by about 5 mm per year, with the most significant drops occurring in mountai...