This summer, reports of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides have become an almost daily occurrence across Jammu and Kashmir. The frequency of these events has left many people asking an important question: Why is Kashmir witnessing so many cloudbursts this year? Unlike much of India, Kashmir has traditionally depended more on western disturbances than on the southwest monsoon for its precipitation. The southwest monsoon generally weakens considerably before crossing the Pir Panjal range. The events of this summer also highlight the urgent need to strengthen weather and hydrological monitoring across Jammu and Kashmir.