Preliminary hydrometeorological data analysis of the Kabul River basin, Afghanistan: Need for a long-term glacier monitoring programme

This study identifies the temporal and spatial gaps in the available hydrometeorological data pertaining to precipitation, temperature, relative humidity, and river discharge in the Kabul River Basin. Glaciers cover about 3% of the total drainage area of the basin. Though most of the glaciers lie between elevations of 4,800–5,300 masl, the hydrometeorological stations are located below 2,300 masl, resulting in a lack of glacio-hydrological information to complement cryosphere monitoring in the region. To ensure sustainable and long-term glacier monitoring in Afghanistan, there is an urgent need to maintain the current hydrometeorological stations and install new ones in glaciated regions, or even on one of the potential benchmark glaciers identified by this study.