Hill stations in Tamil Nadu get covered in frost, mercury to plunge further

Nilgiris: Dense layer of fog engulfed Ooty, Kodaikanal and other parts of Tamil Nadu's hill habitats following a dip in temperature. As cold waves tightened their grip, suburbs of Coonoor such as Bandumai, Wellington and Aruvankadu recorded sub-zero temperatures. In the last few weeks, the temperature in the urban areas of Coonoor and Ooty touched 2.8 degrees Celsius, while the suburbs registered temperatures below zero.

The meadows here appeared like a white carpet of frost. A pristine white blanket of frost covered the ground in many areas of the hill stations here. In some places, the water kept in containers outside the houses froze into ice. Although the places experience severe cold in the winter season, it has been a couple of years since the temperature has gone so low.

Residents of Coonoor reminisced about their childhood days. The fresh spell of winter air brought back memories of their childhood. One such resident in an interaction mentioned how they used to play with ice. He recalled that he used to play with his friends by tying a huge ice cube that they froze in round-shaped plates in a string and would hang from their windows back in the 80s.  

They used to test whose ice cubes will hold the longest. The residents of Coonoor are happy to see that Nilgiris is witnessing frost again. It has been reported that the frost season in Nilgiris will last till the end of February. The India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre predicted a fall in temperature by 2 to 3 degree Celsius in Tamil Nadu. The Weather department has also predicted fog in some districts during early morning hours.