Mild Snow Graces Shimla, Reviving Hopes for a White Christmas
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Shimla, December 23 (NationPress) - The capital of Himachal Pradesh and surrounding tourist hotspots experienced light snow on Monday, lifting spirits in the hospitality sector with the delightful prospect of a White Christmas, a phenomenon that has been absent since 2016, when significant snowfall occurred on Christmas Eve.
According to an official from the Meteorological Department, "Shimla and its vicinity have seen light snowfall, marking the second snowfall of the season in the town."
Tourist locations near Shimla, including Kufri and Narkanda, have also witnessed snow, enhancing their scenic beauty.
Despite the light nature of the snowfall, it has significantly boosted the festive spirit among hospitality businesses, with expectations of further snow or rain before the New Year, as indicated by the MeT Office's forecast until Tuesday.
Once the skies clear, temperatures across the region may drop by three to four degrees, as noted by a weather expert.
The snow-covered mountain peaks can be admired from Shimla's historic Ridge, as well as from Dharamsala and Palampur.
As word of the snowfall spreads, tourists are likely to flock to Shimla, renowned for its majestic colonial architecture, once the summer capital of British India.
Reports indicate that areas within the apple region, including Jubbal and Kharapathar, also experienced snow.
According to officials, high-altitude regions such as Lahaul-Spiti, Chamba, Kullu, Kinnaur, and Shimla districts have been receiving snow.
The magnificent Dhauladhar ranges in the Kangra Valley are also blanketed in snow. Lower areas like Dharamsala, Palampur, Solan, Nahan, Bilaspur, Una, Hamirpur, and Mandi have experienced rain, resulting in a significant drop in temperature.
Shimla recorded a low of 3.4 degrees Celsius, while Manali was at 1.8 degrees, Dharamsala at 4.5 degrees, and Palampur at 1.5 degrees. The past week had been predominantly sunny across the state.
Prior to 2016, Shimla witnessed Christmas snowfall in 1991, with a remarkable 49 cm recorded. Several years between 2014 and 2018 had minor snowfalls around the festive season.
Except for 2010, there has not been a white New Year’s Eve in Shimla in the last 12 years.
A study by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) attributes the alterations in Shimla's climate to deforestation and pollution.
The study indicates that Shimla's traditionally harsh winters, typically lasting from November to March, have diminished since the mid-1980s, analyzing snowfall trends from 1990 to 2007.
