Dust layer on snow in many parts of Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir's meteorological department said that the yellow snowfall in north Kashmir yesterday was due to dust carried by winds from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The snowfall in northern Kashmir was shallow with a layer of dust. The dark surface of the snow is caused by a layer of dust. Other layers of dust can be seen within the snowpack.

Dust layer on snow

The Jammu and Kashmir meteorological department director Soman Lotus speaking to Ground Report said that the yellow snowfall in north Kashmir yesterday was due to dust carried by winds from Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Soman Lotus said that the satellite analysis has revealed dust carried out by winds from central Pakistan and southern Afghanistan.

"Analysis of 2nd Generation Weather Satellite (Meteosat-9) of EUMETSAT (European Operational Satellite Agency) confirms that Yesterday's Yellowish/Dusty Snowfall over some parts of North Kashmir was dust carried out by winds from central parts of Pakistan & southern Afghanistan which started around 7 PM IST travelled northeastwards and reached north Kashmir around 02:00hrs AM(IST)," he said.

When dust, soot and other dark-coloured particles accumulate in snow, they absorb more solar energy (only 50% to 60% is reflected), speeding up the melting process, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

Studies have shown that a layer of dust on the surface of the snowpack can shorten the duration of the snowpack even more than an increase in air temperature of 4 to 7 degrees.

Snow turns yellow from pollen, algae, and anthocyanins from leaves, dust, sand, and air pollution. Discoloured falling snow occurs when snow crystals form around particles in clouds. Yellow snow stains come from adding a substance to the snow after it falls or from microorganisms growing in cold conditions.

Increase in air temperature

Dark-coloured particles, such as dust and soot, can change the appearance of snow and, because they absorb more sunlight, speed snow removal.

Studies have shown that a layer of dust on the surface of a snowpack can shorten the duration of the snowpack by between 21 and 51 days. Conversely, an increase in air temperature of 2 to 4 °C (4 to 7 °F) would shorten the duration of snow cover by 5 to 18 days.

Dust layers may get buried in the snowpack as new storms add clean snow on top, but these dust layers will emerge as the upper layers melt.

Dirty snow goes deeper than it looks

Dirty snow generally melts faster than fresh snow because it absorbs more energy from the Sun, and that's not just a problem in cities full of soot and sand.

Except for some mountains and high plateaus, snow cover naturally retreats from the Earth's surface in the spring and early summer. The powder on top of that snow significantly speeds up the process.

Faster melting may seem positive, particularly in urban areas where drifts of snow can create hazards on roads and sidewalks.

The problem is that human activity in the last century and a half has kicked up dust far beyond the cities. Dirt, which can travel across oceans and continents, has settled on top of the snow in once-pristine regions like the Himalayas, melting glaciers and affecting the amount and timing of water flow in rivers and lakes.

By decreasing the amount of sunlight reflected into space, the presence of dust in snow also means that more heat is retained near the Earth's surface.

Powdery snow makes it melt sooner, especially in spring and summer. The plants are uncovered earlier in the growing season, and water that would otherwise flow into the river evaporates from the leaves of the growing plants.

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