Valley witnesses fresh snowfall
Srinagar: Higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Monday while some areas in plains received intermittent rains, forcing the closure of several vital road-links including the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.
The overcast conditions led to rise in the minimum temperature in the valley.
Fresh snowfall has been recorded in Gulmarg the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, a MET department official said.
He said the resort recorded around three inches of snowfall.
The official said there are reports of snowfall in other areas in the higher reaches of the valley like Zojila Pass and Minimarg on the Srinagar-Leh Highway, Gurez and Mughal Road. He said some areas in the plains received rains.
The snowfall and rains have forced the closure of 434-km Srinagar-Leh National Highway, Mughal Road an alternate road-link connecting valley with Jammu region of the state and Bandipora-Gurez Road in north Kashmir, an official at the Traffic Control Room here said.
He, however, said the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was through for traffic.
The Meteorological Department said the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir are most likely to receive moderate to heavy rain or snow over the two days.
Meanwhile, the mercury at most places in Kashmir division increased on Sunday night owing to a cloud cover.
The mercury settled above the freezing point across the valley, except at Gulmarg, on Sunday night providing relief to the residents.
The MET Department official said the night temperature in Srinagar city, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir settled at a low of 2.4 degree Celsius on Sunday night up nearly three degrees from the previous night’s minus 0.4 degree Celsius.
He said Pahalgam health resort, which serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, registered a low of 0.3 degrees Celsius, while Gulmarg recorded a minimum of minus 6 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg was the coldest recorded place in the valley.
Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of 1.6 degrees Celsius, while the mercury in nearby Qazigund settled at 2.2 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of 0.8 degrees Celsius.
Leh town in Ladakh region recorded a minimum temperature of minus 7.4 degrees Celsius, the official said.
He said the mercury in the nearby Kargil town settled at a low of minus 8.7 degrees Celsius.
Kargil was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, MeT has predicted more rain and snow in the state during the next 24 hours.
Mughal Road closes
The Mughal Road, connecting Jammu’s Poonch and Rajouri districts with South Kashmir’s Shopian, was closed for vehicular traffic Monday after higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall, officials said.
Higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall this morning while some areas in plains received intermittent rains, forcing the closure of several vital road-links, including the Srinagar-Leh National Highway.
The Mughal Road was closed for vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure after the snowfall in Pir Ki Gali and other areas, they said.
The commuters had been directed to avoid avalanche-prone areas along the road to avoid any untoward incident, they added.
Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was smooth despite snowfall in Patnitop, Batote and Banihal since Monday morning, officials said.
Light motor vehicles are able to move from both sides on the 300-km highway slowly, they said, adding heavy vehicles have been restricted to only one-way.
The weatherman has forecast wet weather in Jammu and Kashmir for the next couple of days.
“Fairly widespread rain is expected on Tuesday followed by scattered rain and thundershowers during the next three days,” MeT official said.
Several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, including Sanasar, Gool, Banihal, Thanpal, Patnitop, upper reaches of Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch are expected to witness splash of rains in the next three days, they said.
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