The unprecedented dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir ended on Friday with rain and snowfall in the higher reaches of the valley during the last 24 hours.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the wet weather will persist till February 3. Higher reaches, including Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Sinthan Top, Mughal Road, Karnah, Razdan Pass and Zojila Pass received light snowfall while people living in the plains still await the season’s first snowfall.
Due to the accumulation of snow, the Mughal Road, which connects Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu to south Kashmir’s Shopian district and the Srinagar-Leh highway, has been closed. On Saturday evening, the weather may be partly to generally cloudy with sporadic instances of light snowfall over the higher reaches. Between January 28 and February 3, generally, cloudy weather along with light to moderate rain and snow are likely across the valley.
On Saturday, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg minus 6.4 degrees Celsius and Pahalgam shivered at minus 5.1 degrees Celsius. Leh town in Ladakh region had minus 9.8 degrees Celsius and Kargil minus 10.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. Jammu city had 7 degrees Celsius, Katra 7.6 degrees Celsius, Batote 3.1 degrees Celsius, Bhaderwah minus 0.2 degrees Celsius and Banihal 0.4 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest temperature. The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as the “˜Chillai Kalan’ started on December 21 and will end on January 30.
Travellers are advised to plan their journey accordingly as roads of higher reaches and important passes, including Sinthan Pass, Mughal Road, Sadhna, Razdan Pass and Zojila may get closed due to the bad weather, particularly from January 28-31.