SHILLONG, Jan 30: January in Shillong typically is known to be the coldest and records the lowest minimum temperature of the winter season; however this year has been notably different in terms of experiences, intensity, and coping mechanisms. This January saw a minimum of only 3 degrees Celsius on the 18th of this month, along with inconsistent frosting in the city — usually occurring between 3 to 4 degrees Celsius — according to Thangjalal Lhouvum, State in Charge of the Indian Meteorological Department.
The milder winters and a gloomy end to the month left many disappointed, with some attributing the trend to urbanisation and the disappearance of trees.
A first-year student from St. Anthony’s expressed disappointment at the absence of the usual white backyard mornings. While there were reports of frosting in upper Shillong, the city saw nothing.
This January has been the warmest in last 15 years, except for 2021 when the minimum temperature recorded was 4.1 degrees Celsius.
Eugene Kharlukhi, a resident of Laitumkhrah, reminisced the bone-chilling winter cold of the past, contrasting them with the present warmth.
“I do not know what temperature it was back then and what it is now, but all I can say is it is slowly becoming warmer,” she said.
She also said that she remembers buckets of water kept outside turning into ice and frosting being a regular phenomenon.
“…It’s an urban nightmare (now). Hopefully, we will not become a tropical state soon,” she added.
Justina Kharmawphlang echoed similar sentiments. She recalled how water froze inside taps and her granddaughters would experiment by leaving milk outside in a cup, only to find it frozen by morning.
“Natural ice-cream,” she fondly recalled.
The last instance of Shillong witnessing sub-zero temperatures was in 2018, with a recorded temperature of -0.7 degrees Celsius. It was the second lowest minimum temperature since 1951 with the lowest being -0.9 degrees Celsius in 1971. The January of 2020 also saw the city hit zero degrees Celsius.
In 2023, the minimum temperature in January was recorded at 1.2 degrees Celsius. These anecdotes and data paint a picture of shifting winter experiences in Shillong, highlighting both nostalgia and the changing climate patterns shaping the region’s winters.
