Tourists enjoy Nainital's charm, but snowfall remains a no-show, leaving local businesses in worry

Nainital, Jan 8 (IANS) In Nainital, the famed hill tourist spot in Uttarakhand, where snowfall usually occurs in December, January is already here, yet there is no snowfall, nor are there any visible signs of it.

While the cold has intensified, the sun continues to shine during the day, and mornings and evenings are marked by biting winds.

The absence of snowfall has led to a significant drop in tourist footfall compared to previous years, leaving local businesses and traders disappointed.

Despite this, the natural beauty of Nainital continues to mesmerise visitors. Tourists said the valleys, the calm atmosphere and the fresh air are deeply soothing.

However, many of them arrived with the hope of witnessing snowfall, which has not yet materialised.

"The weather is wonderful here, but the absence of snow leaves a slight feeling of incompleteness. It's very cold in the morning and evening, but there is nice bright sunshine in the afternoon. We are really enjoying it," a tourist from Haryana told IANS.

Visitors said they enjoyed boating, shopping and other activities, and had a pleasant time in the hill town, but the lack of snowfall made the overall experience feel somewhat incomplete.

"The weather in Nainital is very pleasant, yet everyone is constantly looking at the sky, hoping for a blanket of snow. We hope we can witness the snowfall this time," another tourist from Delhi told IANS.

This year, the region witnessed more rainfall than usual in earlier months, which raised expectations that snowfall would also arrive on time. Local businessmen and shopkeepers said that snowfall usually brings a surge in tourists and helps boost business significantly.

They expressed hope that weather conditions might change in the coming days and that snowfall could still occur.

"We really hope that snowfall occurs soon. It is also important for the business. Our businesses will also thrive," a businessman told IANS.

Meanwhile, data from the regional meteorological centre of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has highlighted the severity of the dry spell in Uttarakhand.

The state recorded zero rainfall and snowfall across all its 13 districts in December last year, making it the driest December in at least a decade.

According to IMD data, Uttarakhand experienced an overall rainfall deficit of 24 per cent during the post-monsoon season from October to December.

However, conditions worsened sharply in December, when all districts, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pithoragarh and Uttarkashi, reported nil rainfall against normal December averages ranging from 7.9 mm to 23.7 mm.

Uttarakhand typically receives around 17.5 mm of rainfall in December, but this year, actual precipitation stood at zero, marking a complete departure from long-term climatic norms.