“Sunset is still my favourite colour, and a rainbow is second.”– Mattie Stepanek.
When Mattie said these words, he must have been talking about one of the special beauty nature creates at sunsets. The lesser talked and unknown beauty of the Earth is ‘Winter Line’. Let’s have a look at what it is and why it is so unique:
What is a winter line?
Winter line is an atmospheric phenomenon. As can be seen in the picture above, it is a ‘Second Horizon’ that develops under special conditions during an inversion when warm air is trapped beneath cold air.
Why does it occur?
According to experts, the winter line occurs due to the refraction of sunlight at a particular angle. They say that it is visible only from those mountain areas that have a long clear valley extending beyond them towards the west.
Mr Anand Sharma, the Director of Uttarakhand Meteorological Department, says “settled weather conditions with less moisture and haze” is also an important precondition for the occurrence of winter line.
The locals have their own words about the event. Their opinion is that the Doon Valley has relatively high temperature so the hot air rises up, while the air in the atmosphere around hills of Mussoorie, which is very cold during winter, and as air with different temperatures meet, it gives rise to a sharp line – the lower part is dark, and the cooler air is lighter blue. This line is always there, but just before sunset, due to refraction of light, the line lits up beautifully as a golden sharp line as the sun goes behind the lower portion of the sky which is dark in colour. This is how the magical sight occurs.
When can it be seen?
The unique incident can be experienced from mid-October until January. However, it occurs only for a short period of time in the evening and the time differs day to day in the locality.
Where can it be experienced?
The remarkable sight can be seen only at few places. That makes it so special. The hills of Mussoorie and some part of Switzerland have the opportunity to have such mesmerizing views. One can see it due to the refraction of sunlight at a particular angle, visible only from mountain areas with a long, clear valley towards the west, i.e. the range of Mussoorie hills and Switzerland.
Winterline Carnival:
To celebrate the Mussoorie Winterline as well as create awareness about this unique natural phenomenon, an effort has been made in the form of a carnival. It is celebrated in the last week of the December since 2013. The carnival consists a cultural fiesta that showcases the art, culture and life in Uttarakhand. Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of Uttarakhand and the City Board Mussoorie jointly organize the Mussoorie Winter Carnival. “The 5th edition of Mussoorie Winterline Carnival was held on 25th till 30th December 2017. Propelling Mussoorie’s global vibe and heritage to glorious pinnacles beyond boundaries, MWC 2017 hosted various events and activities around art, culture, music, heritage, nature/outdoor and shopping over the duration of 6 days creating a flurry of excitement and discovery around the Queen of Hills. Driven by the local communities since 2013, MWC has attracted locals and visitors from all walks of life. – a celebration of winter sports, great music, wonderful people, vibrant cultures and sumptuous food, all with a common backdrop. The Picturesque Himalayas, and lots of amazing things to do!”[i]
[i] http://www.mussooriewinterline.com/
