Munnar woos travel buffs, with mercury dipping to zero degree Celsius

As temperatures continue to drop in Munnar, leading to a blanket of frost across the idyllic hill town, people are flocking to the most popular tourist destination of Kerala to experience the cool weather.

Temperatures have been constantly dipping in many pockets in and around the hill station since the beginning of January and it touched -1 degree Celsius in areas like Chenduvara Estate and Letchmi Estate this week, locals said quoting data from a private weather forecasting service.

‘Kashmir of South’ 

With the mercury level plunging continuously, a thick blanket of fog enveloped the lush greenery, sprawling tea plantations, and meadows of Munnar, also known as the “Kashmir of South”.

The scenic images of mist-covered valleys, frost-sprinkled grasslands, and ice crystals on plants have already gone viral, triggering the rush of holidayers from neighbouring places.

A senior IMD official, however, said though the mercury was falling in Munnar, there was no official confirmation that it had dropped to a sub-zero level.

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IMD has no manual observatory in the region and as per the figures of the automatic weather station, the temperature registered up to one-degree celsius but not below that.

“It is a drawback that we do not have an observatory in the area. Many photos and messages are doing the rounds on social media claiming that there was snowfall in Munnar. But, it can’t be snow. It can only be foggy conditions,” the official told PTI.

When the mercury level dips, fog descends and this phenomenon is quite normal in high ranges, he added.

Hoteliers enthusiastic about tourist arrivals

Meanwhile, many hoteliers in and around the town are enthusiastic about the arrival of tourists as Munnar woos travel buffs and hotel bookings increase.

Punyavel, a local resident living in nearby Chokanad Estate who has been running a grocery shop in the area for decades, said severe cold weather was being experienced for some days especially from midnight till dawn.

“It is normal to feel colder in Munnar during the December-January months. In the past years also, the temperature used to reach sub-zero levels on certain days. But this temperature lasting for days is a phenomenon that began in recent years only,” he told PTI.

“Though the weather is extremely cold this time, it is good to see that the winter fog and mist are drawing a large number of tourists to the hill station,” added Punyavel.

Effects of climate change

Shibu, another resident, said not all areas of Munnar but certain pockets like Devikulam, Top Station, and some plantation areas are witnessing cold weather the most. Climate change also had its effect on the pattern and duration of the winter in this hill town, he opined.

“Years ago, winter in Munnar used to set in by September last and end by December-January. In course of time, maybe under the influence of climate change, the months that experience the cold weather have changed,” Shibu told PTI.

Recalling the extreme winter two years ago, he said many areas of Munnar saw sub-zero temperatures for 13 days from January 1-13 in 2021.

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Wildlife photographer and resort owner, Praveen Muraleedharan, also echoed his view.
“Earlier we have never faced this situation. Nowadays, when it is raining, it rains heavily. It is one of the effects of global warming,” he told PTI.

This is causing damage to the local crops, especially to the tea plantations and those practising agriculture.

These days, extreme cold weather is being experienced even inside the sanctuaries, inside the Eravikulam national park, and in some buffer zones.

“We always had fog here, but not at this level. In my opinion, it is not causing any damage or advantage to the tourism industry because we never brand Munnar as a snowfall destination. But it is true that a lot of domestic tourists are coming to see the fog,” Muraleedharan, the owner of Ecotones Resort, Munnar, said.

Situated 1,600 meters above sea level, the hill station was the summer retreat of British colonialists during the pre-independence era. Munnar is known for its vast tea plantations, pristine valleys, scenic mountains, and exotic flora and fauna.

(With agency inputs)