It's a bit of a dream come true for everyone in the Kashmir valley. With fresh snowfall, tourist destinations such as Gulmarg and Pahalgam look pretty spectacular in their avatar as winter wonderlands.

Kashmir's white Christmas: Valley receives the most tourists in 10 years along with fresh snowfall

Snowflakes or ice crystals are a buildup of icy particles, each some 10 million times smaller than the snowflake itself in their most basic form.

What is a Snowflake & how do they form? Types of Snowflakes

A major storm has brought rain and snow to California. The extreme weather has disrupted travel sparking weather alert as well. Officials have urged people to stay indoors and avoid travel.

Heavy rains and snow batter California, officials issue weather alert

A new study revealed that as the climate crisis has been warming up the planet's northern ice cover, rainfall could replace snow in the Arctic region. WION tells you more.

New study reveals Arctic could get more rain than snowfall by 2060

Parts of the United Kingdom experienced one of the ‘coldest night of the season’ with temperatures dropping to as low as minus 10 degrees Celsius as storm Arwen has wreaked havoc across much of the UK, bringing strong winds, sleet and snow.

Storm Arwen: ‘Coldest night of the season’ hits parts of United Kingdom

&nbsp;Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius.

Other parts of the state also experienced sub-zero temperatures as the mercury went down two to three degrees below normal. Pahalgam, the famous hill station in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, the ski resort Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature at minus 0.8 degrees Celsius.

The state meteorological department has attributed “the erratic weather condition” to global warming.&nbsp;

“Global warming is a worldwide issue and is not Kashmir centric, but it does have an impact here as well,” said Sonam Lotus, Director MeT Department Kashmir.&nbsp;

The winter conditions in Kashmir have set in much ahead of the beginning of extremely harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December.

‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year.

Meanwhile, the Met department will be soon launching an awareness campaign on asphyxiation, which is often linked to winter the season. &nbsp;

“With the onset of winter, people keep themselves warm and use appliances like bukhari (portable room heater). But the main problem of using such a traditional device is that there is little room for exhaust and no ventilation. Because of this, carbon monoxide increases and causes a lot of damage, as we recently saw how a girl died in her room due to asphyxiation. We are always aware of do’s and don’ts and we will soon start the awareness programme,” said Lotus.&nbsp;

In neighbouring Ladakh, too, the temperatures remained at sub-zero level. The minimum temperature at the capital Leh was at minus 8 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded the minimum temperature at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. The second coldest place in the world, Drass, recorded the temperature at minus 12.8 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

The onset of cold weather conditions often worries the locals living in the area, as they face long electricity cuts, avalanches, etc.

“It's extremely cold here, we can't go out in the mornings. We use kangri (an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers) which works on coal and now we have been facing shortage of the coal as well. The water pipes freeze and then there is no water as well. We want the government to help the poor. It's unbearable. There is no electricity also, too many power cuts. The government needs to intervene. There is so much fog in the morning that we can't go out. '' said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar.&nbsp;

The Met department has predicted that weather will remain mainly dry in Jammu and Kashmir with morning fog at isolated places over plains of the valley till November end.

Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.

Temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius in India’s Jammu and Kashmir union territory, with Srinagar city recording the lowest temperature of the season at minus 1.6 degrees Celsius. Other parts of the state also experienced sub-zero temperatures as the mercury went down two to three degrees below normal. Pahalgam, the famous hill station in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, the ski resort Gulmarg recorded the minimum temperature at minus 0.8 degrees Celsius. The state meteorological department has attributed “the erratic weather condition” to global warming. “Global warming is a worldwide issue and is not Kashmir centric, but it does have an impact here as well,” said Sonam Lotus, Director MeT Department Kashmir. The winter conditions in Kashmir have set in much ahead of the beginning of extremely harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December. ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year. Meanwhile, the Met department will be soon launching an awareness campaign on asphyxiation, which is often linked to winter the season. “With the onset of winter, people keep themselves warm and use appliances like bukhari (portable room heater). But the main problem of using such a traditional device is that there is little room for exhaust and no ventilation. Because of this, carbon monoxide increases and causes a lot of damage, as we recently saw how a girl died in her room due to asphyxiation. We are always aware of do’s and don’ts and we will soon start the awareness programme,” said Lotus. In neighbouring Ladakh, too, the temperatures remained at sub-zero level. The minimum temperature at the capital Leh was at minus 8 degrees Celsius. Kargil recorded the minimum temperature at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius. The second coldest place in the world, Drass, recorded the temperature at minus 12.8 degrees Celsius. The onset of cold weather conditions often worries the locals living in the area, as they face long electricity cuts, avalanches, etc. “It's extremely cold here, we can't go out in the mornings. We use kangri (an earthen pot woven around with wicker filled with hot embers) which works on coal and now we have been facing shortage of the coal as well. The water pipes freeze and then there is no water as well. We want the government to help the poor. It's unbearable. There is no electricity also, too many power cuts. The government needs to intervene. There is so much fog in the morning that we can't go out. '' said Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar. The Met department has predicted that weather will remain mainly dry in Jammu and Kashmir with morning fog at isolated places over plains of the valley till November end.

Cold wave grips Kashmir, sub-zero temperature recorded across valley

After striking Canada as a Category 1 hurricane and causing widespread power outages in Newfoundland, Larry is moving north toward Greenland, where residents are bracing for a hurricane season oddity: a blizzard caused by the remnants of a tropical storm.

Forecasters said the storm could bring up to 4 feet of snow in parts of the subarctic island, an event meteorologists described as rare and emblematic of a year filled with extreme weather that has been intensified by climate change.

“It was unusual in itself that Larry made landfall in the Canadian maritime,” said Ben Gelber, a meteorologist with WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio. “But this is extraordinary.”

Larry weakened to a post-tropical cyclone Saturday morning, but it was still racing toward Greenland at 48 mph, the National Hurricane Center said.

Moving at a high latitude, Larry was expected to transition into a winter storm before hitting the island by Sunday, causing up to 18 inches of snow to fall in the eastern parts, and up to 4 feet in higher elevations, according to the weather station at the airport in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland.

The Hurricane Center said Larry would lose its tropical storm characteristics and then become a potent winter storm near Greenland by the end of the weekend. Gelber said the storm’s transition into extratropical status means it will have a cold core.

“It’s going to be a blizzard and bring winds of 60 to 70 mph, buffeting the coast and bringing higher gusts over the mountains,” Gelber said.

While it’s not unusual for Greenland to have blizzards, it is rare for a blizzard to occur in early September from the remnants of a hurricane.

“It’s remarkable,” Gelber said. “We’ve run out of adjectives this year.”

Several forecasters noted the storm’s transformation on Twitter or on daily forecasts, describing it as a “snow-cane.”

Just last month, it rained for the first time at the frigid high point of the Greenland ice sheet, which is 2 miles in the sky and more than 500 miles above the Arctic Circle.

The Greenland Department of Environment and Contingency Management did not return emails seeking comment Saturday.

In Newfoundland, the city of St. John’s asked residents to stay off the roads as workers assessed the damage from the storm. Tens of thousands of customers lost power in St. John’s and surrounding areas because of “severe weather conditions,” according to the Newfoundland Power website.

Visitation at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, one of the larger hospitals in the area, was suspended because of a power failure. No injuries have been reported, according to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the province’s police.

Various roads and parks in St. John’s were closed to allow debris to be cleared, and the St. John’s airport experienced delays Saturday morning, the Canadian Broadcasting Association reported.

Larry made landfall near South East Bight on the Burin Peninsula at 11:45 p.m. Friday, the National Hurricane Center said. Videos on Twitter showed eastern parts of Newfoundland being pelted by heavy rain as the storm neared its coastline, bringing increasingly powerful winds to the area.

In the past 70 years, only 23 hurricanes or post-tropical storms of hurricane strength have made landfall in Canada, according to the Canadian Hurricane Center.

Larry, which formed on Sept. 1, strengthened to a Category 3 storm two days later. It has has since weakened to a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Larry passed Bermuda Thursday but had otherwise posed little threat to land. Some meteorologists estimated Friday that the hurricane’s eye was 90 miles wide.

Although the hurricane was well east of the United States early Friday afternoon, large swells generated by the storm threatened to cause dangerous surf and rip currents along the East Coast, the National Weather Service said.

It has been a dizzying few weeks for meteorologists who have monitored several named storms that formed in quick succession, bringing stormy weather, flooding and damaging winds to parts of the United States and the Caribbean.

Tropical Storm Mindy hit the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday night, just hours after it formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It was downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday but brought heavy rain to parts of the southeastern United States before moving into the Atlantic Ocean.

Ida battered Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 29 before its remnants brought deadly flooding to the New York area. Two other tropical storms, Julian and Kate, both fizzled out within a day.

Not long before them, in mid-August, Tropical Storm Fred made landfall in the Florida Panhandle and Hurricane Grace hit Haiti and Mexico. Tropical Storm Henri knocked out power and brought record rainfall to the northeastern United States on Aug. 22.

The quick succession of named storms might make it seem as if the Atlantic is spinning them up like a fast-paced conveyor belt, but their formation coincides with the peak of hurricane season.

The links between hurricanes and climate change are becoming more apparent. A warming planet can expect stronger hurricanes over time, and a higher incidence of the most powerful storms — though the overall number of storms could drop, because factors like stronger wind shear could keep weaker storms from forming.

Hurricanes are also becoming wetter because of more water vapor in the warmer atmosphere; scientists have suggested storms like Hurricane Harvey in 2017 produced far more rain than they would have without the human effects on climate. Also, rising sea levels are contributing to higher storm surge — the most destructive element of tropical cyclones.

Ana became the first named storm of the season on May 23, making this the seventh year in a row that a named storm developed in the Atlantic before the official start of the hurricane season on June 1.

In May, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that there would be 13 to 20 named storms this year, six to 10 of which would be hurricanes, including three to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher in the Atlantic.

NOAA updated its forecast in early August, predicting 15 to 21 named storms, including seven to 10 hurricanes, by the end of the season on Nov. 30.

Last year, there were 30 named storms, including six major hurricanes, forcing meteorologists to exhaust the alphabet for the second time and move to using Greek letters.

It was the most named storms on record, surpassing the 28 from 2005, and the second-highest number of hurricanes.

After striking Canada as a Category 1 hurricane and causing widespread power outages in Newfoundland, Larry is moving north toward Greenland, where residents are bracing for a hurricane season oddity: a blizzard caused by the remnants of a tropical storm.

After striking Canada as a Category 1 hurricane and causing widespread power outages in Newfoundland, Larry is moving north toward Greenland, where residents are bracing for a hurricane season oddity: a blizzard caused by the remnants of a tropical storm. Forecasters said the storm could bring up to 4 feet of snow in parts of the subarctic island, an event meteorologists described as rare and emblematic of a year filled with extreme weather that has been intensified by climate change. “It was unusual in itself that Larry made landfall in the Canadian maritime,” said Ben Gelber, a meteorologist with WCMH-TV in Columbus, Ohio. “But this is extraordinary.” Larry weakened to a post-tropical cyclone Saturday morning, but it was still racing toward Greenland at 48 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. Moving at a high latitude, Larry was expected to transition into a winter storm before hitting the island by Sunday, causing up to 18 inches of snow to fall in the eastern parts, and up to 4 feet in higher elevations, according to the weather station at the airport in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland. The Hurricane Center said Larry would lose its tropical storm characteristics and then become a potent winter storm near Greenland by the end of the weekend. Gelber said the storm’s transition into extratropical status means it will have a cold core. “It’s going to be a blizzard and bring winds of 60 to 70 mph, buffeting the coast and bringing higher gusts over the mountains,” Gelber said. While it’s not unusual for Greenland to have blizzards, it is rare for a blizzard to occur in early September from the remnants of a hurricane. “It’s remarkable,” Gelber said. “We’ve run out of adjectives this year.” Several forecasters noted the storm’s transformation on Twitter or on daily forecasts, describing it as a “snow-cane.” Just last month, it rained for the first time at the frigid high point of the Greenland ice sheet, which is 2 miles in the sky and more than 500 miles above the Arctic Circle. The Greenland Department of Environment and Contingency Management did not return emails seeking comment Saturday. In Newfoundland, the city of St. John’s asked residents to stay off the roads as workers assessed the damage from the storm. Tens of thousands of customers lost power in St. John’s and surrounding areas because of “severe weather conditions,” according to the Newfoundland Power website. Visitation at St. Clare’s Mercy Hospital, one of the larger hospitals in the area, was suspended because of a power failure. No injuries have been reported, according to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, the province’s police. Various roads and parks in St. John’s were closed to allow debris to be cleared, and the St. John’s airport experienced delays Saturday morning, the Canadian Broadcasting Association reported. Larry made landfall near South East Bight on the Burin Peninsula at 11:45 p.m. Friday, the National Hurricane Center said. Videos on Twitter showed eastern parts of Newfoundland being pelted by heavy rain as the storm neared its coastline, bringing increasingly powerful winds to the area. In the past 70 years, only 23 hurricanes or post-tropical storms of hurricane strength have made landfall in Canada, according to the Canadian Hurricane Center. Larry, which formed on Sept. 1, strengthened to a Category 3 storm two days later. It has has since weakened to a Category 1 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph. Larry passed Bermuda Thursday but had otherwise posed little threat to land. Some meteorologists estimated Friday that the hurricane’s eye was 90 miles wide. Although the hurricane was well east of the United States early Friday afternoon, large swells generated by the storm threatened to cause dangerous surf and rip currents along the East Coast, the National Weather Service said. It has been a dizzying few weeks for meteorologists who have monitored several named storms that formed in quick succession, bringing stormy weather, flooding and damaging winds to parts of the United States and the Caribbean. Tropical Storm Mindy hit the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday night, just hours after it formed in the Gulf of Mexico. It was downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday but brought heavy rain to parts of the southeastern United States before moving into the Atlantic Ocean. Ida battered Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane on Aug. 29 before its remnants brought deadly flooding to the New York area. Two other tropical storms, Julian and Kate, both fizzled out within a day. Not long before them, in mid-August, Tropical Storm Fred made landfall in the Florida Panhandle and Hurricane Grace hit Haiti and Mexico. Tropical Storm Henri knocked out power and brought record rainfall to the northeastern United States on Aug. 22. The quick succession of named storms might make it seem as if the Atlantic is spinning them up like a fast-paced conveyor belt, but their formation coincides with the peak of hurricane season. The links between hurricanes and climate change are becoming more apparent. A warming planet can expect stronger hurricanes over time, and a higher incidence of the most powerful storms — though the overall number of storms could drop, because factors like stronger wind shear could keep weaker storms from forming. Hurricanes are also becoming wetter because of more water vapor in the warmer atmosphere; scientists have suggested storms like Hurricane Harvey in 2017 produced far more rain than they would have without the human effects on climate. Also, rising sea levels are contributing to higher storm surge — the most destructive element of tropical cyclones. Ana became the first named storm of the season on May 23, making this the seventh year in a row that a named storm developed in the Atlantic before the official start of the hurricane season on June 1. In May, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that there would be 13 to 20 named storms this year, six to 10 of which would be hurricanes, including three to five major hurricanes of Category 3 or higher in the Atlantic. NOAA updated its forecast in early August, predicting 15 to 21 named storms, including seven to 10 hurricanes, by the end of the season on Nov. 30. Last year, there were 30 named storms, including six major hurricanes, forcing meteorologists to exhaust the alphabet for the second time and move to using Greek letters. It was the most named storms on record, surpassing the 28 from 2005, and the second-highest number of hurricanes.

Hurricane Larry to bring heavy snow to Greenland

Rain poured on the highest point of the Greenland ice sheet for the first time in recorded history in August.

It didn't even make the news.

However, rain in a country known for its severe cold foreshadows a future that would alter global coastlines and submerge entire towns.&nbsp;

The US Snow and Ice Data Center stated that rain was seen for many hours on August 14 at a measurement site more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above the sheet.

"This is an extreme event as it may never have happened before. This is probably a sign of global warming.," Martin Stendel, a researcher at the Danish Meteorological Institute, said.

Only nine times in the past 2,000 years have temperatures at the pinnacle of the sheet reached above freezing. Three of those incidents have occurred in the last ten years, although there was no rain on the prior two occasions, in 2012 and 2019, he said.&nbsp;

Temperatures must be above or just below zero degrees Celsius for the rain to fall, indicating the danger that rising temperatures pose to the world's second-largest ice sheet, behind Antarctica.&nbsp;

Outside of Antarctica, the Greenland ice sheet has four times the amount of ice as all other glaciers and ice fields combined.

Greenland, the world's largest island, is more than 36,000 times the size of Manhattan and is covered in ice that is thousands of feet thick in many areas.

The ice sheet disintegrates as carbon dioxide and methane collect in our atmosphere, causing our planet to heat (the last six years have been the warmest on record).

In the last decade, Greenland has lost more ice than it did in the previous century.&nbsp;

In a paper published two years ago in Nature, a respected scientific publication, a group of climate scientists estimated that if Greenland continues to melt, tens of millions of people might face annual floods and displacement by 2030 – less than nine years from now.

By the end of the century, when Antarctica, which has far more ice than Greenland, begins a phase of catastrophic melting, the number of people at risk of flooding might have risen to about half a billion.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Rain poured on the highest point of the Greenland ice sheet for the first time in recorded history in August. It didn't even make the news. However, rain in a country known for its severe cold foreshadows a future that would alter global coastlines and submerge entire towns.

Rain poured on the highest point of the Greenland ice sheet for the first time in recorded history in August. It didn't even make the news. However, rain in a country known for its severe cold foreshadows a future that would alter global coastlines and submerge entire towns. The US Snow and Ice Data Center stated that rain was seen for many hours on August 14 at a measurement site more than 3,000 metres (9,800 feet) above the sheet. "This is an extreme event as it may never have happened before. This is probably a sign of global warming.," Martin Stendel, a researcher at the Danish Meteorological Institute, said. Only nine times in the past 2,000 years have temperatures at the pinnacle of the sheet reached above freezing. Three of those incidents have occurred in the last ten years, although there was no rain on the prior two occasions, in 2012 and 2019, he said. Temperatures must be above or just below zero degrees Celsius for the rain to fall, indicating the danger that rising temperatures pose to the world's second-largest ice sheet, behind Antarctica. Outside of Antarctica, the Greenland ice sheet has four times the amount of ice as all other glaciers and ice fields combined. Greenland, the world's largest island, is more than 36,000 times the size of Manhattan and is covered in ice that is thousands of feet thick in many areas. The ice sheet disintegrates as carbon dioxide and methane collect in our atmosphere, causing our planet to heat (the last six years have been the warmest on record). In the last decade, Greenland has lost more ice than it did in the previous century. In a paper published two years ago in Nature, a respected scientific publication, a group of climate scientists estimated that if Greenland continues to melt, tens of millions of people might face annual floods and displacement by 2030 – less than nine years from now. By the end of the century, when Antarctica, which has far more ice than Greenland, begins a phase of catastrophic melting, the number of people at risk of flooding might have risen to about half a billion. (With inputs from agencies)

Experts warn first-ever rain in Greenland ice sheet shows risks of climate change

In a rare development, few parts of the Atacama desert in Chile, which is generally regarded as the driest place on earth, were under deep snow. Although it snows from time to time in the desert, snowfall this late in August is extremely rare.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Atacama?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Atacama</a> Desert has been experiencing unusual amount of snow. The cold front that came through the region dumped nearly 32 inches of snow on the desert -- more snow then the region has seen in the last half-century. Atacama <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/desert?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#desert</a> is known asone of the driest place on Earth <a href="https://t.co/qmqJPnssxI">pic.twitter.com/qmqJPnssxI</a>
— Amazing Paper (@JohanesZijlstra) <a href="https://twitter.com/JohanesZijlstra/status/1431251992538660867?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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People in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, about 750 miles from the capital, Santiago, were amazed by the spectacle.&nbsp;

This is being considered as the heaviest rainfall in a period of three decades.&nbsp;

Also, it has raised fears the melting ice could cause flooding in the region.&nbsp;

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WATCH: Snow in the desert? Rare snowfall in August blankets swathes of Chile's Atacama desert <a href="https://t.co/BtboWarc1K">pic.twitter.com/BtboWarc1K</a>
— Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/ReutersIndia/status/1431320607862378497?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2021</a></blockquote>
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While speaking with&nbsp;Reuters, Northern Regional Meteorological Centre, Daniel Diaz, said, "This does not occur yearly. Maybe a relatively important snowfall like the one today can happen every two or three years. For this time of the year, late August, is something relatively unusual because this is usually seen in June and July."

Locals and motorists seized the opportunity to play with the snow and build snowmen.

"This is wonderful. I'm 30-years-old, and this is the first time I see snow," exclaimed a resident of El Salvador. 
&nbsp;

In a rare development, few parts of the Atacama desert in Chile, which is generally regarded as the driest place on earth, were under deep snow. Although it snows from time to time in the desert, snowfall this late in August is extremely rare.

In a rare development, few parts of the Atacama desert in Chile, which is generally regarded as the driest place on earth, were under deep snow. Although it snows from time to time in the desert, snowfall this late in August is extremely rare. The #Atacama Desert has been experiencing unusual amount of snow. The cold front that came through the region dumped nearly 32 inches of snow on the desert -- more snow then the region has seen in the last half-century. Atacama #desert is known asone of the driest place on Earth pic.twitter.com/qmqJPnssxI — Amazing Paper (@JohanesZijlstra) August 27, 2021 × People in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, about 750 miles from the capital, Santiago, were amazed by the spectacle. This is being considered as the heaviest rainfall in a period of three decades. Also, it has raised fears the melting ice could cause flooding in the region. WATCH: Snow in the desert? Rare snowfall in August blankets swathes of Chile's Atacama desert pic.twitter.com/BtboWarc1K — Reuters India (@ReutersIndia) August 27, 2021 × While speaking with Reuters, Northern Regional Meteorological Centre, Daniel Diaz, said, "This does not occur yearly. Maybe a relatively important snowfall like the one today can happen every two or three years. For this time of the year, late August, is something relatively unusual because this is usually seen in June and July." Locals and motorists seized the opportunity to play with the snow and build snowmen. "This is wonderful. I'm 30-years-old, and this is the first time I see snow," exclaimed a resident of El Salvador.

Rare snowfall in Atacama desert surprises residents of Chile

Global warming and the buzz around it is not new. But when we get constant reminders how it is affecting our planet, it becomes a scary thing. Nature itself sends these reminders our way. Sometimes they are in the form of tornados or melting ice caps.

Rain is generally a good thing. But when it rains where it usually should snow, alarm bells ring. At the summit of Greenland, it rained for the first time on record. The precipitation at the summit is usually in the form of snow. But thanks to global warming, another warning has come our way. The rain means that Greenland is warming up fast.

As per a report on CNN, temperature at the summit rose above the freezing point for just third time in the decade. The warm air fuelled the extreme rain event. This resulted in 7 billion tons of water falling in the form of rain. The report quotes a scientist as saying that this was "unprecedented"

A major United Nations climate report released earlier this month that Greenland's ice has been melting for the last two decades because of burning of fossil fuels.

A study published in the journal Cryosphere says that Earth has lost 28 trillion tonnes of ice since the mid-90s

Global warming and the buzz around it is not new. But when we get constant reminders how it is affecting our planet, it becomes a scary thing. Nature itself sends these reminders our way.

Global warming and the buzz around it is not new. But when we get constant reminders how it is affecting our planet, it becomes a scary thing. Nature itself sends these reminders our way. Sometimes they are in the form of tornados or melting ice caps. Rain is generally a good thing. But when it rains where it usually should snow, alarm bells ring. At the summit of Greenland, it rained for the first time on record. The precipitation at the summit is usually in the form of snow. But thanks to global warming, another warning has come our way. The rain means that Greenland is warming up fast. As per a report on CNN, temperature at the summit rose above the freezing point for just third time in the decade. The warm air fuelled the extreme rain event. This resulted in 7 billion tons of water falling in the form of rain. The report quotes a scientist as saying that this was "unprecedented" A major United Nations climate report released earlier this month that Greenland's ice has been melting for the last two decades because of burning of fossil fuels. A study published in the journal Cryosphere says that Earth has lost 28 trillion tonnes of ice since the mid-90s

It rains instead of snow on Greenland summit for first time ever

West Asia has been blanketed by snow. Libya, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, Palestine & Saudi Arabia are all reporting snowfall. WION's Palki Sharma tells you why this is proof of climate change.

Gravitas: Why its snowing in West Asia

The Netherlands remained gripped by snow and freezing temperatures Monday, shuttering several schools that were due to reopen after a seven-week closure and closing some coronavirus test and vaccination sites.

Snow had stopped falling after the country was hit by the first major snowstorm in a decade on Sunday, dubbed Storm Darcy, but the Netherlands remained under weather alerts.

Coronavirus test and vaccination locations in at least eight towns including Haarlem, Alphen aan den Rijn and Den Helder were staying shut because of the wintry conditions, the GGD public health service said.

Primary schools across the country that were closed in early December as part of the Netherlands' toughest coronavirus restrictions since the start of the pandemic were meanwhile allowed to reopen on Monday.

But dozens of schools in the capital Amsterdam, the port city of Rotterdam, Utrecht and other locations were staying shut, mainly because of transport difficulties for pupils and staff, public broadcaster NOS said.

Trains were slowly getting back to normal, but road traffic remained disrupted, with part of the A1 motorway from Apeldoor to Amersfoort closed due to snow and ice.

The Dutch infrastructure agency reported 450 accidents since the weekend.

The sub-zero conditions are set to grip the Netherlands into next week, with daytime temperatures of minus 6 degrees Celsius (21.2 Fahrenheit) and falling as low as minus 11 degrees Celsius at night.

The big freeze has raised hopes that the Netherlands' famed canals will ice over in some places by around Thursday, allowing people to go ice-skating, a national obsession.

Dutch media reported that many shops had already sold out of skates in anticipation of the first such chance to take to the ice since 2018.

If the icy conditions continue, it could raise pressure on authorities to allow a traditional 200-kilometre (125-mile) ice-skating marathon through 11 cities called the Elfstedentocht to be held for the first time since 1997.&nbsp;

Dutch authorities have so far ruled it out even if the conditions are right, because of the risk of coronavirus transmission if crowds gather to watch.

Storm Darcy, which also caused transport disruption in Germany, was now heading across the North Sea towards Britain.&nbsp;

The Netherlands remained gripped by snow and freezing temperatures Monday, shuttering several schools that were due to reopen after a seven-week closure and closing some coronavirus test and vaccination sites.

The Netherlands remained gripped by snow and freezing temperatures Monday, shuttering several schools that were due to reopen after a seven-week closure and closing some coronavirus test and vaccination sites. Snow had stopped falling after the country was hit by the first major snowstorm in a decade on Sunday, dubbed Storm Darcy, but the Netherlands remained under weather alerts. Coronavirus test and vaccination locations in at least eight towns including Haarlem, Alphen aan den Rijn and Den Helder were staying shut because of the wintry conditions, the GGD public health service said. Primary schools across the country that were closed in early December as part of the Netherlands' toughest coronavirus restrictions since the start of the pandemic were meanwhile allowed to reopen on Monday. But dozens of schools in the capital Amsterdam, the port city of Rotterdam, Utrecht and other locations were staying shut, mainly because of transport difficulties for pupils and staff, public broadcaster NOS said. Trains were slowly getting back to normal, but road traffic remained disrupted, with part of the A1 motorway from Apeldoor to Amersfoort closed due to snow and ice. The Dutch infrastructure agency reported 450 accidents since the weekend. The sub-zero conditions are set to grip the Netherlands into next week, with daytime temperatures of minus 6 degrees Celsius (21.2 Fahrenheit) and falling as low as minus 11 degrees Celsius at night. The big freeze has raised hopes that the Netherlands' famed canals will ice over in some places by around Thursday, allowing people to go ice-skating, a national obsession. Dutch media reported that many shops had already sold out of skates in anticipation of the first such chance to take to the ice since 2018. If the icy conditions continue, it could raise pressure on authorities to allow a traditional 200-kilometre (125-mile) ice-skating marathon through 11 cities called the Elfstedentocht to be held for the first time since 1997. Dutch authorities have so far ruled it out even if the conditions are right, because of the risk of coronavirus transmission if crowds gather to watch. Storm Darcy, which also caused transport disruption in Germany, was now heading across the North Sea towards Britain.

Dutch snow keeps some Covid sites, schools closed

Turkish army released footage on Saturday (February 6) of soldiers battling snow at a military base in freezing temperatures.

Turkish soldiers' battle against snow

A powerful winter storm engulfed the U.S. Northeast on Monday, blanketing much of the region in heavy snow, blasting coastal areas with high winds and bringing New York City and other major urban centers to nearly a standstill.

Snow, wind hammer US Northeast in 'life-threatening' blizzard

It was a picture-perfect moment for a wedding proposal — the sun was setting, the breeze was cold and the cliff was set for a proposal. However, things took an unexpected turn when the woman fell off the cliff.

A man got down on a knee to propose to his girlfriend on a cliff in a&nbsp;picturesque location. The cliff was at 650 ft height and the sun was setting. To his relief, his girlfriend said yea, but as soon as she said yes, his fiance took a step back and found herself falling from the cliff.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/times-square-famous-new-year-countdown-goes-socially-distanced-with-a-touch-of-glamour-353735" hreflang="en">Times Square famous new year countdown goes socially distanced with a touch of glamour</a>

Fortunately, their happy day did not turn into a tragedy as the 32-year-old 'just engaged' woman landed on a bed of snow and survived the fall.

The unnamed couple had been dating for a while and the 27-year-old man had decided to take his girlfriend atop the famous&nbsp;Falkart mountain in Carinthia, Austria to pop the question at the picture-perfect moment of sunset.&nbsp;

However, as soon as his girlfriend said 'yes', she slipped due to the rocky terrain and fell down the cliff. The fiance jumped forward to save the love of his life but was left hanging&nbsp;50-feet while his girlfriend fell deeper.

Have a look|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/with-fireworks-australia-new-zealand-welcome-2021-353638" hreflang="en">With fireworks, India, other nations welcome 2021 as celebrations turn low-key</a>

"The two were extremely lucky. He flew 15 meters through the air. The woman fell 200 meters over rocky terrain. Had it not been for snow, it would have turned out very differently," an officer reported.

Emergency services were soon spotted on the proposal site. The boyfriend, hanging for his life, was rescued by a helicopter crew and was immediately taken to a hospital. The doctors revealed he had only suffered a&nbsp;fractured vertebra.

The woman, too, has been admitted to a hospital and does not have any life-threatening injuries.

It was a picture-perfect moment for a wedding proposal — the sun was setting, the breeze was cold and the cliff was set for a proposal. However, things took an unexpected turn when the woman fell off the cliff.

It was a picture-perfect moment for a wedding proposal — the sun was setting, the breeze was cold and the cliff was set for a proposal. However, things took an unexpected turn when the woman fell off the cliff. A man got down on a knee to propose to his girlfriend on a cliff in a picturesque location. The cliff was at 650 ft height and the sun was setting. To his relief, his girlfriend said yea, but as soon as she said yes, his fiance took a step back and found herself falling from the cliff. Have a look| Times Square famous new year countdown goes socially distanced with a touch of glamour Fortunately, their happy day did not turn into a tragedy as the 32-year-old 'just engaged' woman landed on a bed of snow and survived the fall. The unnamed couple had been dating for a while and the 27-year-old man had decided to take his girlfriend atop the famous Falkart mountain in Carinthia, Austria to pop the question at the picture-perfect moment of sunset. However, as soon as his girlfriend said 'yes', she slipped due to the rocky terrain and fell down the cliff. The fiance jumped forward to save the love of his life but was left hanging 50-feet while his girlfriend fell deeper. Have a look| With fireworks, India, other nations welcome 2021 as celebrations turn low-key "The two were extremely lucky. He flew 15 meters through the air. The woman fell 200 meters over rocky terrain. Had it not been for snow, it would have turned out very differently," an officer reported. Emergency services were soon spotted on the proposal site. The boyfriend, hanging for his life, was rescued by a helicopter crew and was immediately taken to a hospital. The doctors revealed he had only suffered a fractured vertebra. The woman, too, has been admitted to a hospital and does not have any life-threatening injuries.

Hanging by a ring: Woman falls down 650 ft high cliff after boyfriend proposes

A winter storm piled record-breaking amounts of snow onto parts of the U.S. Northeast on Thursday and wreaked havoc throughout the region, killing at least four people in traffic crashes and hobbling travel.

Record-breaking storm unleashes travel havoc on US Northeast

A new study has revealed that nearly 47 glacier lakes in the Himalayas are at risk of flooding due to rising temperatures and excessive melting of snow. Watch report.

Danger looms over snow-capped mountains: Melting of snow expanding glacier lakes

A plan to use snow collected in Japan's mountains to cool 2020 Olympics venues this summer is being stymied by snowfalls on track to be the lowest on record, according to officials involved.

The Olympics are coming to Japan; So too is climate change

Recent&nbsp;reports claimed that ski resorts in France were closing down simply because there wasn't enough snow.

However, it looks like they've found a short-term and controversial solution.

A ski resort in France used a helicopter to move the snow from higher altitudes to lower places after a spell of mild 'cold' that has rendered the slopes skiless, The Guardian reported.

Luchon-Superbagnères in the Pyrenees took up the challenging task on Friday night while referring to it as ''exceptional''.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/global-warming-impacts-ski-resorts-in-france-280553/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Over the course of two hours, 50 tonnes of snow was dropped over the bare slopes via helicopters.&nbsp; 
Hervé Pounau, the director of the local department council, suggested that the cost of shutting down the resort was much higher than gathering snow.

“It will cost us between €5,000 and €6,000, in the knowledge that over the long term we will get at least 10 times’ return on that investment,” Pounau said in a statement.

With livelihoods of more than 50 to 80 people at stake, the authorities decided to settle for this measure.

“We’re not going to cover the entire ski station in snow, but without it we would have had to close a huge part of the ski domain, and it’s during the holidays that we have the most activity for beginners and the ski schools,” Pounau said.

At ski resorts, the common job profiles are lift operators, ski teachers, childcarers, the staff of the equipment rental shop, and restaurant owners.

Considering the fact that is disrupting the natural flow of snow, or its lack, many critics have called the practice ecologically inept. ''We won't be doing it again... This time we didn't have a choice''.

<img alt="ppp" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc01396c-f30f-4f8f-a235-f76d3328c47d" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29_38.jpg" />

Recently, visuals from Antarctica went viral whereby there was a large stretch without snow, highly unusual for the region.

Bastien Ho, a French ecologist told a television channel, ''Instead of adapting to global warming we’re going to end up with a double problem: something that costs a lot of energy, that contributes heavily to global warming and that in addition is only for an elite group of people who can afford it. It is the world upside down”.

France witnesses an influx of tourists during February-March, and makes it the busiest season for mountain resorts in the country.&nbsp;

At the resort where the task was undertaken, only six of its 28 slopes are now operational, owing to the lack of snow.

It's imperative to note here that is not the first time such a task has been undertaken. Similar snow moving operations were undertaken in the Alps.

With the risk of loss of livelihood out of the way, the resort would be able to function minimally. 
&nbsp;

Recent reports claimed that ski resorts in France were closing down simply because there wasn't enough snow. However, it looks like they've found a short-term and controversial solution.

Recent reports claimed that ski resorts in France were closing down simply because there wasn't enough snow. However, it looks like they've found a short-term and controversial solution. A ski resort in France used a helicopter to move the snow from higher altitudes to lower places after a spell of mild 'cold' that has rendered the slopes skiless, The Guardian reported. Luchon-Superbagnères in the Pyrenees took up the challenging task on Friday night while referring to it as ''exceptional''. Over the course of two hours, 50 tonnes of snow was dropped over the bare slopes via helicopters. Hervé Pounau, the director of the local department council, suggested that the cost of shutting down the resort was much higher than gathering snow. “It will cost us between €5,000 and €6,000, in the knowledge that over the long term we will get at least 10 times’ return on that investment,” Pounau said in a statement. With livelihoods of more than 50 to 80 people at stake, the authorities decided to settle for this measure. “We’re not going to cover the entire ski station in snow, but without it we would have had to close a huge part of the ski domain, and it’s during the holidays that we have the most activity for beginners and the ski schools,” Pounau said. At ski resorts, the common job profiles are lift operators, ski teachers, childcarers, the staff of the equipment rental shop, and restaurant owners. Considering the fact that is disrupting the natural flow of snow, or its lack, many critics have called the practice ecologically inept. ''We won't be doing it again... This time we didn't have a choice''. Recently, visuals from Antarctica went viral whereby there was a large stretch without snow, highly unusual for the region. Bastien Ho, a French ecologist told a television channel, ''Instead of adapting to global warming we’re going to end up with a double problem: something that costs a lot of energy, that contributes heavily to global warming and that in addition is only for an elite group of people who can afford it. It is the world upside down”. France witnesses an influx of tourists during February-March, and makes it the busiest season for mountain resorts in the country. At the resort where the task was undertaken, only six of its 28 slopes are now operational, owing to the lack of snow. It's imperative to note here that is not the first time such a task has been undertaken. Similar snow moving operations were undertaken in the Alps. With the risk of loss of livelihood out of the way, the resort would be able to function minimally.

'Mild weather': French ski resort airlifts snow to avoid closure during peak season

Surprising images of Antarctica without snow emerged from Chile as the southern tip of the South American country near Antarctica experiences unusually high temperatures amid concern for global warming.

This is what Antarctica looks like without snow

Far from the ubiquitous campaign rallies and political ads, some New Hampshire voters on Saturday (February 8) decided to clear their heads with some snowshoe yoga and 'forest bathing'.

Voters in snowy New Hampshire de-stress with snowshoe yoga

Awe-inspiring pictures and videos of snow-blanketed regions in Saudi Arabia are doing the rounds on social media and are going viral.

According to reports, Saudi Arabia's mountainous region - Tabuk in particular - have been hit by a snowstorm. Parts of Lebanon and Syria also experienced snowstorms while hail was reported in parts of Egypt.&nbsp;

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Currently: 
Snow in Saudi Arabia deserts (Tabuk). <a href="https://t.co/tNJFU8Yia4">pic.twitter.com/tNJFU8Yia4</a>
— د. أحمد نبيل (@Dr_Ahmad_Nabeel) <a href="https://twitter.com/Dr_Ahmad_Nabeel/status/1215653574589501440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Middle East nations like Qatar, the UAE, parts of Iran and Oman experienced heavy rainfall earlier this week.&nbsp;

There was a forecast of Middle Eastern regions like Dubai and Doha to receive around 150mm of rainfall when they usually record around 70mm of rainfall for the whole year.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tabuk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tabuk</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Neom?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Neom</a> in Saudi Arabia at 
winter season, beauty of snow❄️🖤! <a href="https://t.co/CjvZK2A2Nd">pic.twitter.com/CjvZK2A2Nd</a>
— Abdualaziz M. Alawadh (@abdualaziz_666) <a href="https://twitter.com/abdualaziz_666/status/1215601370004426752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this week, Israel witnessed heavy rainfall that led to flooding in its border areas with Lebanon to the Negev desert. At least five people have been killed in Israel due to rising floodwaters, local media reported.&nbsp;

Awe-inspiring pictures and videos of snow-blanketed regions in Saudi Arabia are doing the rounds on social media and are going viral. According to reports, Saudi Arabia's mountainous region - Tabuk in particular - have been hit by a snowstorm.

Awe-inspiring pictures and videos of snow-blanketed regions in Saudi Arabia are doing the rounds on social media and are going viral. According to reports, Saudi Arabia's mountainous region - Tabuk in particular - have been hit by a snowstorm. Parts of Lebanon and Syria also experienced snowstorms while hail was reported in parts of Egypt. Currently: Snow in Saudi Arabia deserts (Tabuk). pic.twitter.com/tNJFU8Yia4 — د. أحمد نبيل (@Dr_Ahmad_Nabeel) January 10, 2020 × Middle East nations like Qatar, the UAE, parts of Iran and Oman experienced heavy rainfall earlier this week. There was a forecast of Middle Eastern regions like Dubai and Doha to receive around 150mm of rainfall when they usually record around 70mm of rainfall for the whole year. #Tabuk & #Neom in Saudi Arabia at winter season, beauty of snow❄️🖤! pic.twitter.com/CjvZK2A2Nd — Abdualaziz M. Alawadh (@abdualaziz_666) January 10, 2020 × Earlier this week, Israel witnessed heavy rainfall that led to flooding in its border areas with Lebanon to the Negev desert. At least five people have been killed in Israel due to rising floodwaters, local media reported.

Snow in Saudi Arabia? Locals share pictures, videos of snow-blanketed Tabuk 

Snow blankets covered parts of Saudi Arabia on Friday, January 10 as temperatures dropped below zero degrees Celsius. Watch this video to know more.

Parts of Saudi Arabia covered in snow as temperature drops below freezing point

It is rare to see ten thousand horses galloping together. But in the Yili horse-breeding base in the northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous region, it is part of the local life and a tourism program.

Ten thousand horses galloping in snow-covered grassland

A blizzard sweeping through northeastern&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;on Tuesday morning blocked roads and caused hundreds of flight cancellations, thwarting the Thanksgiving travel plans of some of the millions of Americans expected to fly or drive this week.

Seven inches&nbsp;of snow had fallen in Denver by early Tuesday morning, causing more than 460 flight cancellations, the Denver International Airport said on Twitter, and blizzard conditions were expected throughout the day as winds up to 72 km&nbsp;per hour in the eastern plains reduced visibility.

"This storm may be historic in the Fort Collins and Loveland areas where 20 inches&nbsp;or more of snow is expected. That would put the storm near the top five of all snow events there," a National Weather Service forecast said, referring to areas along&nbsp;Colorado's Front Range, some 50 miles (80 km) north of Denver.

Some 55 million travellers planned to fly or drive at least&nbsp;80 km&nbsp;from their homes this Thanksgiving, according to the American Automobile Association, but the snow would likely alter those plans.

Video footage showed snowplows working through cloudy blizzard conditions to clear runways at Denver International Airport. Many airlines would resume flights later in the day, the airport said on Twitter.

"We just landed at the Denver Airport! Crazy conditions. Literally 0 visibility," tweeted Amber Kimbrell, a high school science teacher from Huntsville, Alabama, who posted a photo of a runway covered in white.

The blizzard was expected to drop an additional 5 to 10 inches from the&nbsp;Colorado&nbsp;Front Range on Tuesday and would lighten later in the afternoon as the storm moved northeast, the weather service said. Several interstate roads were closed, and the weather service warned travel could become impossible on rural roads and unplowed city streets.

Denver metro area schools and many stores were closed but some grocery stores, already stocked in preparation for Thanksgiving shoppers, were ready for a deluge of customers.

Lines were manageable at Safeway in Denver early Tuesday morning as more than a half-foot of snow accumulated outside.

"So far so good; it doesn't seem to be impacting us much," Phil Vanderlaan, a cashier, said by phone. "Probably later throughout the day it might."

A stronger storm was expected to hit northern California and Oregon by Tuesday night, the weather service said, which may drop 1 to 3 feet of snow across California mountain ranges.

A blizzard sweeping through northeastern Colorado on Tuesday morning blocked roads and caused hundreds of flight cancellations, thwarting the Thanksgiving travel plans of some of the millions of Americans expected to fly or drive this week.

A blizzard sweeping through northeastern Colorado on Tuesday morning blocked roads and caused hundreds of flight cancellations, thwarting the Thanksgiving travel plans of some of the millions of Americans expected to fly or drive this week. Seven inches of snow had fallen in Denver by early Tuesday morning, causing more than 460 flight cancellations, the Denver International Airport said on Twitter, and blizzard conditions were expected throughout the day as winds up to 72 km per hour in the eastern plains reduced visibility. "This storm may be historic in the Fort Collins and Loveland areas where 20 inches or more of snow is expected. That would put the storm near the top five of all snow events there," a National Weather Service forecast said, referring to areas along Colorado's Front Range, some 50 miles (80 km) north of Denver. Some 55 million travellers planned to fly or drive at least 80 km from their homes this Thanksgiving, according to the American Automobile Association, but the snow would likely alter those plans. Video footage showed snowplows working through cloudy blizzard conditions to clear runways at Denver International Airport. Many airlines would resume flights later in the day, the airport said on Twitter. "We just landed at the Denver Airport! Crazy conditions. Literally 0 visibility," tweeted Amber Kimbrell, a high school science teacher from Huntsville, Alabama, who posted a photo of a runway covered in white. The blizzard was expected to drop an additional 5 to 10 inches from the Colorado Front Range on Tuesday and would lighten later in the afternoon as the storm moved northeast, the weather service said. Several interstate roads were closed, and the weather service warned travel could become impossible on rural roads and unplowed city streets. Denver metro area schools and many stores were closed but some grocery stores, already stocked in preparation for Thanksgiving shoppers, were ready for a deluge of customers. Lines were manageable at Safeway in Denver early Tuesday morning as more than a half-foot of snow accumulated outside. "So far so good; it doesn't seem to be impacting us much," Phil Vanderlaan, a cashier, said by phone. "Probably later throughout the day it might." A stronger storm was expected to hit northern California and Oregon by Tuesday night, the weather service said, which may drop 1 to 3 feet of snow across California mountain ranges.

Blizzard in Colorado forces roads shut, flights cancelled one day before Thanksgiving

Tokyo 2020 Olympic chiefs have already rolled out everything from misting stations to flowerbeds to beat the heat at next year's games, and now they want to let it snow.

Organisers confirmed Thursday that they plan to test the use of artificial snow at a canoe event later this month as they look for novel ways to keep spectators and athletes cool during Tokyo's notoriously steamy summer months.

"Artificial snow will be sprayed over spectator seating," some of which may be in direct sunlight, during a canoeing event on September 13 that will serve as a test for the Olympics, a spokeswoman for the Tokyo 2020 organisers told AFP.

"We haven't decided definitively that we will use this system next year for the Olympics, but we want to test it to see how effective it is," she said.

"We're open to trying all potentially useful ideas," she added, when asked about possible criticism of the environmental side-effects of the method.

Public broadcaster NHK said the test would use small snow-making machines to produce about a tonne of snow per day, and that officials from the organising committee would attend in spectator stands to judge the technique's effectiveness.

Olympic organisers have been on the offensive over concerns that holding the Games during summer months when Tokyo regularly reaches 35 degrees centigrade with 80 per cent humidity will be unsafe.

They have already tested measures including misting stations, air-conditioned cooling tents and even rows of potted flowers along the routes of queues — thought to psychologically cool spectators.

At a sailing event last month, athletes were given permission to loosen their life jackets because of the heat, while a French competitor was treated for heatstroke during a triathlon event in August.

The last time Japan hosted the Summer Olympics, in 1964, the competition was held in October to avoid the hot summer conditions.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic chiefs have already rolled out everything from misting stations to flowerbeds to beat the heat at next year's games, and now they want to let it snow.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic chiefs have already rolled out everything from misting stations to flowerbeds to beat the heat at next year's games, and now they want to let it snow. Organisers confirmed Thursday that they plan to test the use of artificial snow at a canoe event later this month as they look for novel ways to keep spectators and athletes cool during Tokyo's notoriously steamy summer months. "Artificial snow will be sprayed over spectator seating," some of which may be in direct sunlight, during a canoeing event on September 13 that will serve as a test for the Olympics, a spokeswoman for the Tokyo 2020 organisers told AFP. "We haven't decided definitively that we will use this system next year for the Olympics, but we want to test it to see how effective it is," she said. "We're open to trying all potentially useful ideas," she added, when asked about possible criticism of the environmental side-effects of the method. Public broadcaster NHK said the test would use small snow-making machines to produce about a tonne of snow per day, and that officials from the organising committee would attend in spectator stands to judge the technique's effectiveness. Olympic organisers have been on the offensive over concerns that holding the Games during summer months when Tokyo regularly reaches 35 degrees centigrade with 80 per cent humidity will be unsafe. They have already tested measures including misting stations, air-conditioned cooling tents and even rows of potted flowers along the routes of queues — thought to psychologically cool spectators. At a sailing event last month, athletes were given permission to loosen their life jackets because of the heat, while a French competitor was treated for heatstroke during a triathlon event in August. The last time Japan hosted the Summer Olympics, in 1964, the competition was held in October to avoid the hot summer conditions.

Snowkyo 2020: Tokyo organisers to test fake snow to cool Olympics

It's snow joke - karate training, Iraqi style

Indian Army officer Major Nisheet Dogra passed away after being trapped under nearly six feet of snow in north Sikkim.

As per the Army, there was unprecedented snowfall and high winds resulting in blizzard-like conditions in north Sikkim on Saturday.

It was discovered that Major Dogra was missing, following which a search was launched to locate the officer.

"After an intense search, at about 10 pm, the search party located Maj Nisheet Dogra who was trapped under five to six feet of snow. The officer was given immediate medical aid. However, around midnight, the brave heart lost the battle of life and attained martyrdom in the line of duty," read an official statement on Sunday.

The mortal remains of the officer are being flown to Bengdubi from where they will be taken to his native place under arrangements of the Army.&nbsp;

Indian Army officer Major Nisheet Dogra passed away after being trapped under nearly six feet of snow in north Sikkim. As per the Army, there was unprecedented snowfall and high winds resulting in blizzard-like conditions in north Sikkim on Saturday.

Indian Army officer Major Nisheet Dogra passed away after being trapped under nearly six feet of snow in north Sikkim. As per the Army, there was unprecedented snowfall and high winds resulting in blizzard-like conditions in north Sikkim on Saturday. It was discovered that Major Dogra was missing, following which a search was launched to locate the officer. "After an intense search, at about 10 pm, the search party located Maj Nisheet Dogra who was trapped under five to six feet of snow. The officer was given immediate medical aid. However, around midnight, the brave heart lost the battle of life and attained martyrdom in the line of duty," read an official statement on Sunday. The mortal remains of the officer are being flown to Bengdubi from where they will be taken to his native place under arrangements of the Army.

Army officer dies after getting trapped in snow in north Sikkim

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday as fresh landslides at different places hit the restoration work, officials said.

However, they said efforts are on and a decision to allow traffic on the highway would be taken later in the day after reviewing the progress of the ongoing debris clearance operation.

The highway was closed for traffic on Wednesday following heavy snowfall and incessant rains which triggered avalanches and landslides at various places especially between Qazigund-Banihal-Ramban stretch including Jawahar Tunnel - the gateway to Kashmir valley.

"Over a dozen landslides were cleared despite frosty conditions and intermittent shooting of stones from the hillocks on Saturday but fresh landslides had occurred at Kela Morh, Battery cheshma, Digdole, Panthiyal and Khuni Nallah overnight leaving the road once again blocked," Ramban Deputy Superintendent of police, Traffic, Suresh Sharma told PTI.

He said the continuous shooting of stones at Panthiyal and frosty condition of the road in the snow-bound areas are posing a major challenge to the agencies involved in the clearance operation.

"The men and machinery are on the job and if the hills get stabilised and there will be no fresh landslide, the road stretch from Ramban to Banihal will be cleared for the traffic by late afternoon," he said.

Sharma, who inspected some of the landslide hit areas, said the snow clearance operation is almost complete including at Jawahar Tunnel where an avalanche had also struck on Thursday, blocking one of the tunnels on Qazigund side besides killing eight persons including six police and fire and emergency services personnel.

In view of the closure of the highway, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched special sorties of C17 Globemaster, airlifting 538 persons including 319 GATE aspirants between Jammu and Srinagar on Friday and Saturday.

"A total of 319 students appearing in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) on February 10 onwards were airlifted from Srinagar airport to Jammu airport on Friday and Saturday," a defence spokesman said.

He said while 179 students were airlifted from Srinagar to Jammu, 180 civilians struck in Jammu were airlifted to Srinagar on Friday.

Similarly, he said 179 persons comprising of 140 students and 39 locals and tourists were airlifted to Srinagar to Jammu on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature across the Jammu division marked an appreciable increase due to overcast conditions, though some snow-bound parts of the region continue to reel under sub-zero temperature.

The night temperature in Jammu city marked an increase of over three notches to settle at 7.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, against the previous night's 4.0 degrees Celsius, a spokesman of the MeT department said.

The highway town of Banihal and Batote recorded a low of minus 1.0 and minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Bhaderwah town in Doda district was reeling under minus 1.8 degrees Celsius.

Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the famous Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district, recorded a minimum of 6.5 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday as fresh landslides at different places hit the restoration work, officials said.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, remained closed for the fifth consecutive day on Sunday as fresh landslides at different places hit the restoration work, officials said. However, they said efforts are on and a decision to allow traffic on the highway would be taken later in the day after reviewing the progress of the ongoing debris clearance operation. The highway was closed for traffic on Wednesday following heavy snowfall and incessant rains which triggered avalanches and landslides at various places especially between Qazigund-Banihal-Ramban stretch including Jawahar Tunnel - the gateway to Kashmir valley. "Over a dozen landslides were cleared despite frosty conditions and intermittent shooting of stones from the hillocks on Saturday but fresh landslides had occurred at Kela Morh, Battery cheshma, Digdole, Panthiyal and Khuni Nallah overnight leaving the road once again blocked," Ramban Deputy Superintendent of police, Traffic, Suresh Sharma told PTI. He said the continuous shooting of stones at Panthiyal and frosty condition of the road in the snow-bound areas are posing a major challenge to the agencies involved in the clearance operation. "The men and machinery are on the job and if the hills get stabilised and there will be no fresh landslide, the road stretch from Ramban to Banihal will be cleared for the traffic by late afternoon," he said. Sharma, who inspected some of the landslide hit areas, said the snow clearance operation is almost complete including at Jawahar Tunnel where an avalanche had also struck on Thursday, blocking one of the tunnels on Qazigund side besides killing eight persons including six police and fire and emergency services personnel. In view of the closure of the highway, the Indian Air Force (IAF) launched special sorties of C17 Globemaster, airlifting 538 persons including 319 GATE aspirants between Jammu and Srinagar on Friday and Saturday. "A total of 319 students appearing in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) on February 10 onwards were airlifted from Srinagar airport to Jammu airport on Friday and Saturday," a defence spokesman said. He said while 179 students were airlifted from Srinagar to Jammu, 180 civilians struck in Jammu were airlifted to Srinagar on Friday. Similarly, he said 179 persons comprising of 140 students and 39 locals and tourists were airlifted to Srinagar to Jammu on Saturday. Meanwhile, the minimum temperature across the Jammu division marked an appreciable increase due to overcast conditions, though some snow-bound parts of the region continue to reel under sub-zero temperature. The night temperature in Jammu city marked an increase of over three notches to settle at 7.1 degrees Celsius, three notches below normal, against the previous night's 4.0 degrees Celsius, a spokesman of the MeT department said. The highway town of Banihal and Batote recorded a low of minus 1.0 and minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, respectively, while Bhaderwah town in Doda district was reeling under minus 1.8 degrees Celsius. Katra town, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the famous Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district, recorded a minimum of 6.5 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.

Fresh landslides hamper efforts to reopen Jammu-Srinagar highway

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