Hill stations record rare early snowfall

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. 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. 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. 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. “The western disturbance and snowfall brought down temperature causing cold wave conditions over north India including the plains.