Winter comes calling early in Munnar, temperature drops to 3°C

The Munnar hill station in Idukki is witnessing an early arrival of winter, with the mercury dropping sharply. This year’s lowest temperature, 3°C, was recorded at the Chenduvarai tea estate under the Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP) on Monday morning. Frost was also recorded in the area.

The United Planters Association of South India (UPASI), a tea research foundation in Munnar, recorded the temperature of 3°C on Monday. The temperature in Letchmi Estate was 4°C and in Sevenmalai, 5°C.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD)-installed automatic weather station at Kundala near Munnar recorded its lowest temperature of 6°C. According to climate experts, Munnar is witnessing an early winter after 2018.

Subzero by Christmas

Climatologist Gopakumar Cholayil said that the temperature might move to subzero in the Christmas week. “Presently, the conditions are favourable for a chilly weather. Alerts for depression or heavy rain have not been issued so far. Hilly regions, including Munnar, will witness more temperature drops in the coming days,” said Mr. Cholayil.

Tourism stakeholders expect a surge of tourists to the hill station to enjoy the chilly weather in the coming days. “The IndiGo flight cancellations had initially affected the Christmas and New Year bookings to Munnar. Now the situation has changed, and we are receiving bookings and enquiries,” said a tourism stakeholder.

“Tourists, especially north Indians, are arriving in Munnar to enjoy the chill in December and January. We hope the early arrival of winter will attract more tourists,” he said.

The normal winter season starts in Munnar in November. Extreme cold is experienced in the first week of January usually with the valleys and hills covered with frost. But this year, the hill station is experiencing extreme cold from the second week of December itself.