Munnar, Idukki: The Munnar hill station in Kerala is experiencing an early onset of winter, with temperatures dropping sharply across the region. On Monday, the lowest temperature of 3°C was recorded at the Chenduvarai tea estate under Kanan Devan Hills Plantations (KDHP), accompanied by frost in several areas.

Other estates recorded low readings, with Letchmi Estate at 4°C and Sevenmalai at 5°C, while the IMD weather station at Kundala registered 6°C. Meteorologists warn that temperatures are expected to plunge further to near 0°C in the coming days, marking one of the earliest extreme cold spells in Munnar since 2018.

The hill station woke to thick morning mist, with tea gardens frosted under the early winter conditions. Estate workers were seen layering up against the sudden chill, while visitor numbers remained unusually low amid ongoing concerns over tourist safety and transport issues.

Munnar’s Western Ghats retreat, famed for its scenic landscapes and tea plantations, is now facing intense cold from mid-December, well ahead of the usual January peak, potentially affecting both tourism and tea estate operations in the coming weeks.