No snowfall in higher reaches, including Kedarnath and Badrinath, weather experts pin hope on year-end

Dehradun: Higher reaches of Uttarakhand -- Kedarnath, Badrinath and Auli -- are yet to receive a first good spell of snowfall, officials said on Wednesday. The met office and experts have ruled out any unusual weather patterns, noting that an expected spell of rain from Dec 29 is likely to trigger snowfall in high-altitude areas such as Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh.Met scientist Rohit Thapilyal said that during the post-monsoon period, from Oct to Dec, the region typically receives about 48 mm of rainfall. "This year, Oct and Nov recorded 42 mm, with Oct accounting for the bulk of it. Less or delayed snowfall compared to previous years cannot be termed unusual," he said.Echoing similar views, M P S Bisht, head of the geology department at HNB Garhwal University, said that peak snowfall in Uttarakhand generally occurs in Jan and Feb. "Any conclusions should be drawn based on scientific facts rather than illogical comparisons," he said.Local stakeholders, however, expressed concern over the absence of snow so far. Vishal Naithani, a hotel owner in Badrinath, said there had been no snowfall in the area yet. "I returned from Badrinath on Wednesday afternoon and saw no snow. Last year, there was a good spell of snowfall by this time. Usually, snow starts falling in Dec and intensifies in Jan and Feb," he said.A prominent hotelier in Auli and Joshimath, Ajay Bhatt, also noted the contrast with last year's conditions. Despite this, he said tourism prospects remain strong. "Hotels, guest houses and homestays are almost fully booked for Christmas and New Year as visitors are hopeful that snowfall will occur during that period," he said.