Unseasonal snowfall ‘not a pointer to harsh winter’
Trend in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh couldn’t be recorded for want of gauging instruments in upper reaches
DEHRADUN/SHIMLA: The upper reaches of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh received unseasonal snowfall in September, though it is too early to predict a harsh winter this year, according to Met officials.
The snowfall, however, could not be recorded for want of gauging instruments in the higher reaches.
Sanjay Gunjyal, inspector general of police (IG), The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), said many areas in the higher reaches of Uttarakhand, including the peaks surrounding Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines, had received snowfall over the past 3-4 days.
“On Wednesday, as snowfall receded, a chopper succeeded in landing near Madmaheshwar where a group of trekkers is stranded and was on its way to rescue them...” he said.
The areas 4,500-5,000 metres above sea level received snowfall according to the state’s Met department. “Snowfall has occurred at places located above 4,500-5,000 metres above sea level, but the Met centre does not have instruments installed in those areas, and hence no records,” said Bikram Singh, director of the Dehradun MeT Centre,
The Met department said in the past 10 years, no snowfall has been recorded in the month of September at any of the 50 centres in the state where instruments are installed. “It however doesn’t indicate any cold wave or harsh winter forecast,” he said.
In Himachal Pradesh too, though there are no officially recorded figures, snowfall has been reported in higher reaches this month. The state last reported snowfall in of September in 2008.
“There were reports of snowfall in Kinnar Kailash and higher mountains. There is no cold wave in any part of Himachal so far. Snowfall on higher mountains does not indicate anything about winter. There was mild snow fall in Rohtang pass last week too,” said Dr Manmohan Singh, director, Metrological Regional Centre, Shimla.
Last week, many parts of the state including upper reaches of Shimla, Lahaul, Spiti and Kullu received snowfall. Areas like Sirmaur, Shimla, Chamba, Kangra, Solan, Bilaspur, Kinnaur, Mandi witnessed heavy rainfall.
On September 1, high reaches of Manali also received light snowfall. The major peaks including Deo Tibba, Indrasan, Hanuman Tibba and peaks in Pir Panjal ranges, received light snowfall, Met department said.