There is a change in the pattern of winter in Munnar, where the four seasons are most evident. Tourists prefer winter and spring and reach the hill station in large numbers.
Usually, winter season starts in November with extreme cold experienced in the first week of January. However, it has changed in the past three years and this year unexpected rain increased the temperature after it reached subzero level in December end.
However, for the past three days the mercury has started dipping in Munnar with frost covering tea plants, buildings, and vehicles.
The lowest temperature recorded in Munnar on Thursday was -1°Celsius (C) at Latchmi and 1°C at Munnar UPASI and Chenduvarai. On Wednesday, it was 0°C at Nallathanni, Chenduvarai, Seven Malai, and Silent Valley and - 1°C at Latchmi. On Tuesday, Nallathanni, Letchmi, Seven Malai, and Silent Valley recorded 0, -1, 0, and 2°C respectively.
There is a continuous flow of tourists after the lockdown curbs were eased prior to the Christmas/ New Year season. The trend is expected to continue with the temperature expected to dip further.
The tourism sector has received a shot in the arm after the consecutive floods and the pandemic outbreak severely impacted tourist arrivals.
The manager of a resort said they were receiving near-total bookings since the start of the Christmas season, a first in the past three years. Most of the tourists were from southern India. The change in the winter pattern would also have an impact on tourist arrivals, he added.
Climatologist Gopakumar Cholayil said Munnar experienced a long winter with mercury dipping to subzero levels in February 2019. Many reasons were attributed then for the winter spell, which extended for two weeks. This was considered a separate phenomena in climatic events, he said.
This year, Munnar missed winter in the first week of January due to unexpected rain. In 2020, the winter season was almost missed in Munnar. The winter pattern had now changed due to the unexpected rainfall and the hill station was experiencing winter again once the rain subsided.
“We cannot predict how long it will prevail. The unexpected rainfall and change in winter are indicative of climate change. Though the main seasons experienced in the State are broadly classified as monsoon and summer with variations in temperature level, a keen observer can notice the four seasonal changes in Munnar,” he said.
