Darjeeling In Queue For First Snowfall Of Season, Rain And Thundershower Precede Shortly

Snowfall in Darjeeling remains a big attraction for the tourists every year.  The ‘Queen of Hills’ conspicuously skips this annual event quite often and rarely sees back-to-back episodes. With Kanchenjunga, one among the highest peaks in the world, in its backdrop, the distinctive resort keep the visitors guessing for the black magic event. Last time, the summer resort famous for ‘Toy Train’  witnessed snowfall was on 30^thJan 2019 and leaves big hopes for the current season. 

To set the pace for early snow, essential requirement being freezing temperatures accompanied with decent wet spell. Darjeeling, this season so far has received just trace of rainfall (25Dec) and lowest temperature of 3°C on 27^thDec.  Minimum temperatures of around 0°C help freezing the rain drops in to snow flakes and persistent drop augurs well for a decent duration of snowfall.

Darjeeling town with an elevation of 6800’ gives snowfall amiss more often than not and please the visitors , on an average, once in 5 years or so. Its neighboring peaks witness snow in January, if not in December, every year.  Destinations placed above an elevation of 8000’ are more favorite for trail of footprints on the white carpet during December and January.  Tigerhills( 8600’),  Sandakphu( 12000’), Tonglu( 10000’) and Phalut(11000’) observe snowfall every season without fail. However, locations like Tonglu and Phalut  being paved mostly with boulder roads are not easily accessible.

An active western disturbance has dumped fair amount of snow in the mid and higher reaches of northern hills of Jammu&Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand. Popular destinations like Srinagar, Manali, Shimla, Mussorie still await season’s 1^st snowfall.  This active weather system with its induced circulation over the plains is moving eastward. It is likely to take the rain belt to east India covering Bihar, Jharkhand and Sub Himalayan West Bengal. Rain and thundershowers are also expected to lash Darjeeling-Jalapahar  Himalayan mountain range between 28^th and 30^thDec. Darjeeling city is also expected to witness 1^st good winter rains of this season. Though the chances of snowfall are least in the 1^st attempt, but the wet spell will set the ball roll. New year eve will witness icy cold winds without the welcome guest of ‘maiden’ snow of the season.