The mercury plummeted below zero for the first time in Darjeeling town during the current winter with minus 1.5 degrees Celsius being recorded at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday.

However, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) ruled out immediate snowfall in the hill town for lack of moisture. Darjeeling had recorded heavy snowfalls — a major attraction for tourists — only twice in the current century.

Referring to the minus 1.5 degrees Celsius registered at the Raj Bhavan weather station on Wednesday, G.N. Raha of the IMD, Gangtok, said: “This is the lowest minimum temperature recorded this season. However, we are ruling out snowfall in Darjeeling as there is a deficit of moisture.”

According to the website of the Darjeeling district administration, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the town was minus 5 degrees Celsius, registered on February 11, 1905.

Sources said the mercury had started dropping below zero in Darjeeling on Tuesday. The weather station at St Paul’s School recorded zero degree Celsius on Tuesday.

However, with clouds disappearing, days, mostly afternoons, are expected to get warmer but nights will continue to be cold.

“With the region getting a bit of sunshine, you can expect the afternoon weather to hover around nine to 10 degrees Celsius. But nights will continue to be colder because of clear skies,” said Raha.

The IMD has predicted the possibility of snowfall only in the higher reaches of the Sikkim-Darjeeling areas in the next 48 hours.

Last year, Darjeeling had received snowfall for two consecutive days on February 4 and 5 — which was a rare occurrence in decades.

The two-day daytime snowfall in 2022 was heavier than what the town had received on February 14, 2007, which was considered among the heaviest in a decade. The town had been hit by snowfall for a while on December 29, 2018, also.

The upper reaches of the Darjeeling hills, like Sandakphu which is situated at nearly 12,000 feet, consistently receive heavy snowfall every winter. However, Sandakphu is yet to receive snowfall this winter. The higher reaches of Sikkim recently received snowfall.

“The days are cold but with fewer people and less traffic, the winter days are pretty pleasurable,” said Rupesh Pradhan, director, Mayukh Tea.

Tourism stakeholders maintain that snowfall in Darjeeling does bring an indirect benefit to the industry.

“Snowfall in Darjeeling brings wide publicity to the region and positive stories always help the industry,” said Navin Thapa, a hotelier in Darjeeling.

In recent times, Gangtok had started receiving more tourists during the winter because of the consistency of snowfalls in its upper reaches.

“However, this year, the tourist footfalls in Gangtok have been less, compared to Darjeeling,” said a hotelier who has properties both in Darjeeling and Gangtok.