Gulmarg, other upper reaches receive fresh snowfall; rain lashes plains in Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 14 : The upper reaches, including the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, received fresh snowfall, while rains lashed summer capital, Srinagar, and other plains in Kashmir valley.

Meanwhile, the night temperature witnessed some improvement and settled above normal at majority of places in the valley, though day chill intensified due to wet weather.

A Met department spokesperson told TNNthat light to moderate rain and snow would occur at many places during the next 24 hours in the state under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD) which is active in the region. “Isolated light rain or snow could occur during the subsequent two day from Thursday,” he said.

Much to the delight of skiers and tourists, the ski slopes at the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, 55 km from here in north Kashmir, received fresh snowfall since early on Wednesday morning. “It started to snow early this morning in Gulmarg, where ski slopes are already under several feet of snow. The weather right now is chilly due to intermittent snow, but, skiers, including foreigners, are out on snow-bound slopes,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.

The night temperature at the ski resort dipped over a degree from Tuesday and settled at minus 2.5 degree, which is still about a degree above normal.

Meanwhile, it was raining at the world famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 from here in south Kashmir, resulting in further dip in the day temperature. However, the night temperature improved about 4 degree from Tuesday due to overcast conditions and settled at 6.4 degree, which is about 8 degree above normal.

However, the upper reaches in Pahalgam, including Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station for Amarnath cave shrine on the traditional yatra route, received fresh light to moderate snowfall. Amarnath cave shine and its periphery, besides Sheshnag, Mahagung, Pisso top and Panjterni, also received moderate to heavy snowfall.

Zojila pass on Srinagar-Leh national highway, which remained closed since December last year due to accumulation of snow and slippery road conditions, also received fresh snowfall. Baltal -- the base camp of Amarnath yatra from the shortest route -- 15 km north of Sonamarg, also received fresh snowfall.

Even though the border towns of Kargil witnessed improvement of about a degree from Tuesday in the night temperature, it was still the coldest place in the region at minus 5.4 degree. Neighbouring town of Leh also witnessed an improvement of about 3 degree from Tuesday in the night temperature, which settled at 1.2 degree.

He said light rain or snow would occur during the next 24 hours in Leh, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 13 degree and minus 2 degree, respectively.

Light to moderate rain lashed the summer capital, Srinagar since early Wednesday morning, resulting in considerable dip in the day temperature. The mercury at the night also dipped about 2 degree from Tuesday and settled at 6.5 degree, which is still 3 degree above normal in Srinagar.

The spokesperson said light rain or snow would occur during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 14 degree and 5 degree, respectively.

Dozens of far-flung and remote villages, including those near the Line of Control (LoC), have also been cut off from their respective district and tehsil headquarters, following closure of Sadhna top, Z-Gali and Phirkiyan due fresh snowfall snow. “It was snowing since early this morning in these areas,” officials said.

The night temperature at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kukernag improved and settled at 6 degree, 3.7 degree and 6.7 degree, respectively.