Snowfall starts in Shimla

SHIMLA: Tourist town of Shimla received first snowfall of New Year on Sunday leaving tourists elated. Prediction of snowfall from January 4 to 6 had drawn the rush of tourists to hill town in advance with all the hotels witnessing maximum occupancy. Not only Shimla, but Kullu-Manali, Chamba, Kinnaur, Pangi-Bharmaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts too are receiving snowfall resulting into intensified cold conditions in Himachal Pradesh.Keylong town of Lahaul-Spiti district already has received around 16 cm snowfall.
Snowfall in Shimla was awaited for long as it will not only recharge the water bodies but would also prove beneficial for the apple crop. Even tourism industry would gain because snowfall brings tourists to the hill town and adjoining areas.
As soon as the snowfall started, tourists gathered at the Ridge, started dancing and enjoying the white flakes. Many said that they were camping in Shimla for last 2-3 days only to witness the snowfall.
Shimla Meteorological Centre, director, Dr Manmohan Singh said, "snowfall season in the state is shrinking with decreasing seasonal snowfall and snowfall days. He said that most weather stations are reporting increasing trend in temperature in Himachal Pradesh and J&K in the past thirty years. He said that snowfall days in Srinagar and Shimla are showing a decreasing trend during the same period."
A study has revealed that warming rate of Shimla was higher than Leh and Srinagar during the period from 1991-2002 as compared to earlier decades and the gross rise in the mean air temperature during 1980-2002 periods in north western Himalayas as a whole was about 2.2 degrees Celsius.