COIMBATORE: Frost has set in, with the minimum temperature dropping drastically, in the popular tourist destination of Ooty.

An annual phenomenon, frosting commenced, delayed as usual this year, too. “In recent years, climate change has altered frosting patterns. This year too, frosting began delayed by nearly a month on 12 December and is likely to intensify in the coming days,” said an official of the horticulture department.

In a visual delight for tourists, popular spots like the Government Botanical Garden (GBG), Thalaikundha, Boat House, Race Course grounds and sprawling grass lawns elsewhere were blanketed with thick frost in the early morning hours. Tourists set bonfires to keep themselves warm in the evenings.

Because of the freezing chill, the farm labourers lamented that they couldn’t carry out their routine work like harvesting carrots and plucking tea leaves in the morning hours. On Sunday, the GBG recorded a minimum temperature of three degrees Celsius, while it was one degree Celsius at Thalaikundha.