White Christmas fades from Shimla’s winter memory
Pallavi Sharma
Shimla: The dream of a white Christmas in Himachal Pradesh’s hill stations is likely to remain unfulfilled yet again. Shimla, fondly called the Queen of Hills, which once slipped under a thick blanket of snow every December, has been missing its winter charm.
For the fourth consecutive year, snowfall during Christmas appears unlikely, as changing weather patterns continue to alter the region’s winter character.
December, once synonymous with snowfall in Shimla, has turned unusually dry and cold. From 2022 to 2024, the city did not record any significant snowfall in December, barring a brief spell of light flurries on December 8, 2024. Even in 2021, snowfall was negligible.
Data from the past three decades shows a sharp decline of nearly 37% in average snowfall in the state capital. While Shimla received an average of 129.1 cm of snow annually between 1990 and 2000, the figure dropped to about 80.3 cm during the 2010-2020 decade.
Earlier, light snowfall by the second or third week of December was considered routine. Now, dry winters often stretch through January and February. The absence of snow has not only dampened tourist expectations but has also impacted local livelihoods that depend heavily on winter tourism. There was a time when Christmas and New Year meant snow-covered Ridge, Mall Road and Kufri, with hotels, taxis and tourism-related businesses operating at peak capacity. That festive picture has been missing for four years in a row.
Why snowfall is declining in Himachal hills
Weather experts attribute the decline to rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns. A meteorologist points out that the number of snowfall days in Shimla has steadily decreased.
Even when conditions appear favourable, weak western disturbances often result only in rain instead of snow. Long-term data suggests that Himachal Pradesh’s average surface temperature has risen by around 1.5 degrees Celsius between 1901 and 2025, making sustained snowfall increasingly rare.
Environmental experts add that rapid urbanisation is worsening the situation. According to an environmental science expert at Himachal Pradesh University, climate change, altered atmospheric circulation and the expansion of concrete structures in Shimla are major contributors to declining snowfall. Western disturbances, which drive winter precipitation, are also influenced by larger climate phenomena such as El Niño, further adding to the unpredictability.
What weather forecast says for Christmas week
The Meteorological Centre in Shimla has predicted generally clear weather across the state till December 27. There is, however, a possibility of light rain or snowfall at a few higher-altitude locations on December 28 and 29. Lower and plain areas are likely to experience dense fog during late night and early morning hours between December 23 and 27, for which a yellow alert has been issued.
For tourists hoping to see snow in Shimla, Manali or other popular hill stations this Christmas, the forecast offers little cheer. While higher reaches may witness brief winter activity later in the month, the iconic white Christmas in Himachal continues to slip further into memory.
