Number Theory: How much hotter than normal is Ladakh now?

On July 28, the Leh grid was 6.8°C warmer than normal for the day. This is alarming because the daily temperature of the grid normally peaks by June 27.

The Leh airport in the union territory (UT) of Ladakh has seen flights being cancelled repeatedly this week. High temperatures have decreased air pressure, which is already low at such high altitudes, to a level that is unsafe for operations. Is the UT, or Leh in particular, experiencing very high temperatures? Data suggests that this is indeed the case. With Ladakh serving as a storehouse of ice and snow, high temperatures in the region have bigger implications than just cancelled flights. The snow pack in Ladakh is also the lowest this year in satellite records.

Temperatures are rising sharply across Ladakh, leading to fast melting of snow caps and glaciers. (File Photo)