Hill stations record rare early snowfall

While the early snow, after nearly two months of a dry spells, triggered winter chill and cold wave conditions over northern plains, it did not last long

Shimla in Himachal Pradesh recorded the season’s first snowfall on December 9, the earliest the hill town has received snow in the last 12 years.

People walk on a snow covered road after fresh snowfall in Shimla. (PTI)

Along with Shimla, light snow blanketed tourist hotspots of Kufri, Narkanda, Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, and Kullu in Himachal. In neighbouring Uttarakhand, Kasauli, Mussoorie and Nainital were among the towns that recorded snowfall this week, as opposed to the usual January/February.

While the early snow, after nearly two months of a dry spells, triggered winter chill and cold wave conditions over northern plains, including in Delhi, this week, it did not last long owing to comparatively high minimum temperatures.

Meteorologists attributed the early snow to a western disturbance.

Though these hill stations record snowfall every winter, in recent years they have been getting trace amounts of snow towards the end of winter, in January and February.

Shimla, on December 9, received season’s first snowfall — the last time Shimla recorded snow in early December was in 2012. “Shimla last witnessed snowfall in early December on December 12, 2012,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, director of the meteorological centre in Shimla.

The snowfall on December 9 broken the 10-week dry spell in the state, bringing cheer to the farmers, apple growers and hoteliers. But owing to comparatively high minimum temperatures, the snow did not last long in Shimla which was famous for being summer capital of British India.

Explaining the role of a western disturbance, Mahesh Palawat, vice president, climate and meteorology, Skymet Weather, said: “It is unusual for Kasauli, Mussoorie, Nainital etc to record snowfall in early December. It was very dry and temperatures were low. When the western disturbance approached it may have caused moisture to go up and cause rain which then reached freezing point very quickly. This happens when the minimum temperatures are very low, near zero. The same thing happens near Atal tunnel where artificial snowfall is caused using water sprinklers to create droplets.”

The month of December usually records five to six western disturbances, M Mohapatra, director general of the India Meteorological Department said, adding that more rain and snow is likely for northern India.

“A western disturbance impacted the Indian region this week causing snowfall in several places in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Western disturbances bring snowfall to some parts of all of these states every year. In December normally 5-6 western disturbances are expected so we can expect more rain and snow,” he said.

“The western disturbance and snowfall brought down temperature causing cold wave conditions over north India including the plains. Cold wave conditions are expected to continue for a couple of days including over parts of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh,” Mohapatra said.

Both October and November saw record high temperatures. India recorded its second warmest November this year since 1901 in terms of day temperatures and third warmest for mean temperatures.

For northwest India, it was the warmest November since 1901 for mean temperatures and second warmest for day and night temperatures. The country experienced its warmest October in 123 years, with unprecedented night-time and mean temperatures.

On Thursday, IMD warned that a western disturbance is impacting northwest India presently. It is over north Pakistan and neighbourhood. “Cold wave conditions are likely at isolated pockets likely over northwest and central India during next three to four days,” IMD said.

Despite early snow, there is large deficiency in rainfall over north and northwest India. Since October there is 89% rain deficiency over Uttarakhand; 96% over Himachal Pradesh; 75% deficiency over Jammu and Kashmir; 96% deficiency over Haryana; 99% over Delhi.