Skymet weather

Darjeeling still awaiting snowfall; after five years of no snow

December 11, 2018 11:03 AM |

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Darjeeling is one of the most loved hills station in Northeast India. The town is situated on fairly good height of 2,042 m in the Himalayan range. Darjeeling is one of the easily accessible hill-station which can be reached by either road and rail. Each year thousands of tourists not only from the country but from everywhere around the world come to visit this hilly town.

Popular resorts like that of Mirik, Tiger Hills(2590m), Jorebunglow, Ghoom (2225m), Tonglu and Phalut receive snow almost every year. If anything, this just brings a boost to the tourism of Darjeeling as well as this is the base camp to many difficult yet popular snow-clad mountain treks.

But there’s only one thing that even lush green tea fields, trekking to close-by peaks, toy train, rope-way, ancient monasteries, cool weather and Tibetan markets can’t make for. And, its snowfall!

It doesn’t snow here every year in Darjeeling. If we look at the figures it snows in Darjeeling once in every five years. Last time it snowed here was in 2012 (11th January 2012).

As the coincidences have it, usually it has snowed in Darjeeling on the historical dates: on New Year’s Eve in 2003, Netaji Subhash’s Birthday in 2005, Valentine's Day in 2007 and on Republic day in 2008.

Talking to the meteorologists, we observe a major shift in pattern of snowfall: earlier when the city used to receive snowing in the gap of a few years, now it’s not the same anymore. It’s been a gap of about 5 years already. The longer the time gap keeps on increasing, the greater the probability for snowfall.

The month of December- January- February are the trio-months which see the most of winters and snowfall. Usually the time span from January till mid-February is the peak season where there is a maximum chance of snowfall in Darjeeling.

Although most of the popular Northern Himalayan destinations have already received the first snowfall of the season, this year, it hasn’t snowed in Darjeeling as yet. Last month it received neither snow, nor rains. The month of December was a dry one for the town.

The town is observing single digit minimums since last many days. Moreover, the maximum temperatures have also dipped to mid-teens (14°C-17°C). These patterns only give more hope.

No snowfall activity only affects the tourism. Right now, we can only keep our fingers closed and wait for first snowfall for the season which only some very strong weather system (which has already surpassed the Himalayas without losing its strength) can bring.

Image Credits – Educational Tours | Crazy Holidays

Any information taken from here should be credited to Skymet Weather

 

 






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