Srinagar: Fresh snowfall in the higher reaches and rainfall across the plains of Jammu and Kashmir brought slight relief from the biting cold on Monday, even as cloudy skies and intermittent precipitation are expected to continue over the next few days.
The wet spell also disrupted road and air traffic, forcing the closure of several key routes and the cancellation of flights from Srinagar.
Popular tourist destinations, including Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam, witnessed fresh snowfall ranging from around five to 18 inches, transforming the landscape and raising hopes among skiers, tourists and stakeholders in the tourism sector ahead of Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The snowfall, long awaited after a prolonged dry spell, also led to a noticeable improvement in air quality across the Kashmir Valley.
Despite the improvement in overall cold conditions, minimum temperatures across most parts of the Valley remained below normal, with several areas recording sub-zero readings.
South Kashmir’s Pulwama district reported the lowest minimum temperature at minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Shopian at minus 2.9 degrees and Awantipora at minus 2.2 degrees. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.4 degrees, while Qazigund and Pahalgam settled at minus 1 degree each. Gulmarg and Kulgam recorded relatively higher minimums at 2.0 and 1.2 degrees Celsius respectively.
In the Jammu division, Katra recorded a minimum of 10 degrees Celsius, while Jammu Airport registered 11 degrees. Banihal and Bhaderwah reported lows of 3.8 and 4.4 degrees respectively. In Ladakh, Leh recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. Data from some high-altitude stations, including Zojila Pass, Kargil, Doda and Zethan Rafiabad, was not available.
The Meteorological Department said the current spell of precipitation is likely to continue till Monday night, after which the weather is expected to remain partly cloudy across Jammu and Kashmir from December 23 to December 29. Light rain or snowfall over isolated higher reaches is possible between December 30 and January 1, while January 2 and 3 are expected to remain partly cloudy. Officials also warned of moderate to dense fog persisting over the plains of the Jammu division for the next seven days.
An advisory issued by the department cautioned that higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts could receive moderate to heavy snowfall, particularly during night hours. Travellers and transporters have been urged to closely follow traffic and administrative advisories while planning their journeys.
The rain and snowfall had a positive impact on air quality, with officials noting a significant improvement in the Air Quality Index across the Valley. According to the department, the weather is likely to remain dry but cold after this spell, particularly from December 23 to December 30.
Meanwhile, the inclement weather severely affected road connectivity across the region. Traffic on the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) remained slow due to single-lane movement at multiple stretches. Authorities said vehicular movement on the highway has been regulated from the evening of December 22 till December 23 following the breakdown of two heavy vehicles.
The Traffic Police advised commuters to travel only after confirming road conditions through official channels. Passenger light motor vehicles were advised to prefer daytime travel on the Jammu–Srinagar axis, while heavy motor vehicles were asked to avoid night travel due to congestion between the Nashri and Navyug tunnels.
Several key roads were closed due to snow accumulation, including the Srinagar–Sonamarg–Gumri road, Mughal Road, Kishtwar–Sintthan–Anantnag road and the Gurez–Bandipora route. Many interior roads in north Kashmir were also blocked, prompting the administration to initiate snow clearance operations. Security force convoy movements were allowed on certain routes after clearance from traffic authorities.
Air traffic was also hit, with IndiGo and SpiceJet cancelling two flights from Srinagar airport due to low visibility. Airport authorities advised passengers to check with their respective airlines for updated flight schedules and alternate arrangements.
With more precipitation forecast and cold conditions likely to persist, authorities have reiterated their appeal to travellers, tourists and transporters to exercise caution and adhere strictly to official advisories in the coming days.
