West Bengal's Darjeeling gets 1st snowfall of season, sees rush of tourists as mercury dips

According to the weather office, Darjeeling recorded 6.6 degrees Celsius and 4.8 mm of rain in the past 24 hours. Several tourists posted images and videos from Sandakphu and other recently snow-covered locations on their social media handles.

Darjeeling (West Bengal):Often referred to as the 'Queen of the Hills', Darjeeling received its first snowfall of the year and immediately witnessed a rush of tourists. The weather department in a forecast reported that the hilly town will experience a further dip in the mercury level, with a record temperature of even one degree Celsius.

Darjeeling recorded a minimum temperature of 6.6 degrees Celsius and rainfall of 4.8 mm in the past 24 hours, the weather office said. Several tourists shared photos and videos on their social media handles from Sandakphu and other destinations that turned white.

Alongside, scattered rainfall was reported in several spots since Tuesday night, further reducing the temperature in several spots including Tumling, Meghma, and Singalila National Parks. Even on Wednesday morning, Bijanbari, Sukhiapokhri and some other spots on the higher parts remained snow-capped due to the fall in temperature.

Situated at a height of 11,930 feet on the Singalila ridge in the Himalayas, Sandakphu is the highest point in West Bengal, offering a spectacular view of Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Kanchenjunga.

Meanwhile, several other places including Lachen, Lachung, Changu, and Katao in North Sikkim have also experienced bone-chilling winters. Sikkim Meteorological Department Director, Gopinath Raha, said the temperature will remain the same for the next three days as snow up to 2 inches has accumulated in multiple locations.