Dry January. The Kashmir Valley is a popular winter tourist destination owing to its mountains and ski resorts — such as Gulmarg, pictured here, where the hills are normally snow-covered in January. But the valley has been afflicted by an exceptional drought, with no snow and an almost 80% shortfall in rain between December 2023 and the first week of January. In future, droughts in the region could become more regular and extended as a result of climate change, scientists have warned. As well as affecting tourism, water scarcity has negative impacts on saffron farming and other agriculture.