Shimla, Jan. 2 -- Once adorned in white, the queen of hills now wears colours of waiting, as a decade has passed since Shimla experienced a snowy New Year. Except for "White Christmas" of 2024, the peaks of the state capital remained bare.

A snowy New Year has been elusive here since 2016.

As per the data since 2010 by the weather department, the snowfall occurrence in the city is declining. From 2010-2016, only 2011 was the year, when the hill city was not blanketed in snow. However, from 2016, there has been no snowfall.

The snowfall as rainfall in winters depends on Western Disturbances, which for not just this year, but over the last three years have been weak, thus resulting in no snowfall, said an official from IMD. "The intensit...