Udhagamandalam: A white blanket of frost enveloped the hill town with temperature dipping to 0.4 degree Celsius on Friday, forcing people to stay indoors.
This year, Ooty has been experiencing late winter, as December and January saw no frost formation.
Though the temperature touched lowest of this season at zero degree Celsius 10 days ago, frost formation was not found in much of the town then.
According to joint director of horticulture department Shiva Subramaniam Samraj, Government Botanical Garden (GBG) registered 0.4 degree Celsius in the early hours of Friday. “This is the first time in this season that a vast area of lawn in the GBG saw frost formation, despite regular watering of the grass to save it from frost. Even when the temperature dipped to zero degree Celsius 10 days ago, there was no frost formation on the lawn,” Samraj said.
Every year, the temperature will fall to zero degree Celsius anytime between November 15 and February 26.
“In the winter season in 2008, the temperature touched minus two degrees Celsius,” an official said.
He said, “The severity of the winter season depends upon the rainfall. During the winter season, if the day is bright and very sunny, the following night will be chilly, and the temperature will fall accordingly.”
The weather in Ooty is generally pleasant throughout the year. Nikhil, a regular tourist from Karnataka said, “Winters in Ooty are thrilling while the summers are charming.” He said Ooty has grown to become an important holiday destination mainly because of the different refreshing quality of its weather and hospitable environment.