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Winter bliss: Shimla braces for white Christmas
The ‘Queen of Hills’ dons white mantle just before Christmas after a gap of 9 years; MeT has predicted snowfall on Dec 27,29
The capital city and ‘Queen of Hills’-- Shimla--on Monday experienced season’s second snowfall, bringing joy to both locals and tourists, along with heightening the festive spirit.
The fresh snowfall on Monday have sparked the hope for white Christmas this year.
Shimla was among a few tourist destinations in the state that received fresh snowfall on Monday as India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Shimla office predicted light snowfall in the higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh.
Snowfall was also experienced in nearby tourists spots of Kufri and Narkanda, besides higher reaches, including Kharapathar, Chaurdhar and Chanshal, the weather officer said. The plains, however, continued to shiver under severe coldwave conditions.
It is after a gap of nine years that Shimla has experienced the pre-Christmas snowfall. This year, this was the second snowfall spell in Shimla. Shimla received the first snowfall on December 8.
IMD scientist Shobhit Katiyar said that Shimla has witnessed snowfall in December after a gap of three years.
“The last time Shimla experienced snowfall in December was in 2020. Over the past 12 years, Shimla has never received snowfall on Christmas Day (December 25). However, it received snowfall a day before and a day after Christmas in 2015 (24 December) and 2016 (December 26) respectively. Furthermore, there was no snowfall in December during the years 2017, 2021, 2022, and 2023,” he added.
In 2020, Shimla experienced snowfall on December 28, while in 2019, it occurred earlier--on December 16.
In 2018, the city witnessed snowfall on December 12 and 13, and in 2015, snowfall was recorded on December 24.
In December 2016, Shimla received snowfall on December 26.
Additionally, in 2014, the capital city experienced snowfall on December 14 and 16, while in 2013, it snowed on December 22 and 23.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Shimla office, light rain or snowfall is highly likely at many places on December 28 and at isolated places on December 24, 27, and 29. Meanwhile, the weather is expected to remain dry across the state on December 25 and 26.
Snowfall, often termed “white manure” for apples, has raised hopes for good yields among farmers in the upper Shimla region. Apple farming contributes about ₹5,000 crore to Himachal Pradesh’s economy.
A yellow warning for dense fog over parts of the Bakra Dam reservoir area and Balh valley in Mandi has been issued from Tuesday to Thursday, according to the weather station.
The weather office has also predicted cold wave to severe cold wave at a few places in low hills or plain areas of the state during the next four days. Moreover, ground frost conditions are expected at isolated places in plain areas from December 24 to 26.
Tabo was coldest place in the state at -10.6 degrees Celsius while Sumdo, Kusumseri and Kalpa recorded lows of -5.3 degrees Celsius, -3.7 degrees Celsius and -2.5 degrees Celsius, respectively, it said.
High-altitude tribal areas and mountain passes continued to experience biting cold, with temperatures 14 to 18 degrees below freezing point, the Met office said. Water pipes froze at many places in mid and higher hills while natural sources of water like springs, rivulets and tributaries of snow-fed rivers froze, reducing water discharge and affecting hydropower generation.
