For three straight years, snow eludes Shimla in December, March

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, January 8

In Shimla, snowfall in December and March is becoming a thing of the past. There has been no snowfall in December and March in the city for the past three years. “It’s indeed a rare occurrence. It will be difficult to find an instance when there was no snowfall in December and March in the city for three consecutive years,” said Surender Paul, Director, Meteorological Centre, Shimla.

Max temp above normal

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The average maximum temperatures at most places in the state continue to be above normal by around 2.5°C to 6°C while the average minimum temperatures are normal.

Forecast for light snow

There’s a possibility of light rain/snow at mid and high hills at isolated places on Tuesday. In the plains and lower hills, there’s a possibility of light rain.

As per the data provided by the weather department since 2010, the occurrence of snowfall in the city in December is declining. In seven year from 2010 to 2016, December went without snowfall only in 2011. But in subsequent seven years (2017 to 2023), it didn’t snow at all in the city in December for four years. Also, the number of snowfall days in December in the past seven years (2017 to 23) has reduced to just five as compared to 10 in seven years from 2010 to 2016.

Meanwhile, March has become even more erratic as regards snowfall. There was no snowfall in March for two years from 2011 to 2017. However, in subsequent six years, March recorded no snowfall in five years. Besides, the number of snowfall days in March in the past six years, compared to the seven previous years, has drastically reduced from 12 to mere two.

The erratic snowfall, especially in December, has hit the tourism sector the hardest. “We used to have a great winter season December 15 onwards. Tourists come to Shimla for snow. If there’s snow, it will be difficult to attract tourists,” says Mohinder Seth, president of the Shimla Hotels and Tourism Stakeholders’ Association.