Darjeeling: The delay in snowfall in the upper reaches of Sikkim and Darjeeling by over a month may be a damper to snow-chasing tourists and local people, but may reflect either changing weather patterns or special circumstances this year, scientists say.
Sikkim has experienced the highest increase in annual average minimum temperature across India’s states, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has documented – a finding that has puzzled sections of environmental scientists because nearly half the state is under forest cover.
The area under forest cover in Sikkim rose from 44 per cent in 1993 to 47 per cent in 2013, while the national average is 21 per cent.
While low temperatures are not the only criterion for snowfall, the increase in minimum temperature can affect snowfall patterns, a weather scientist said. But the delayed snow in the upper reaches this year may also be linked to a weak moisture-laden storm from the west this year, he said.
While the upper reaches of Sikkim such as Gurudongmar (17,000ft), Nathu-la (14,000ft) and Chhangu Lake (13,500ft) and Sandakphu (12,000ft) in Darjeeling usually receive snowfall from November end, these areas received snowfall only in December end this year.
A 2013 IMD report had found that the average minimum temperature had increased the highest – 0.07°C per year – for Sikkim, followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Manipur, Tamil Nadu and Tripura during the study period.
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