Kashmir awoke to a white wonderland on Thursday after heavy overnight snowfall covered higher reaches and plains saw light rains, ending a parching 3-week dry spell, officials said.
The snowfall brought delight to tourists in Gulmarg and Sonmarg, even as the meteorological department predicted more snowfall during the day. Heavy snowfall also suspended traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway.
The wet weather came as a relief to Srinagar residents who had been reeling under cold, cough, and smog caused by the long dry spell. Children and the elderly were notably affected.
“The valley was desperately awaiting the rains to wash away the choking smog. Thankfully, it has snowed heavily in upper reaches and rained mildly in plains for now,” said Ridha Begum, a school teacher in Srinagar.
As per officials, while Gulmarg saw sub-zero temperatures after snowfall, overnight temperatures saw a marked rise across the valley. Srinagar recorded a minimum of 5.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night.
The haven of winter sports in Kashmir, Gulmarg was the coldest at minus 1 degree Celsius even after snowfall due to its higher altitude. Pahalgam saw 1.5 degrees at night.
Met officials said the wet spell is likely to continue on Thursday, after which Kashmir would again experience a dry week starting Friday.
The sudden rain and hailstorm in Chandigarh early morning is also attributed to western disturbance – extra-tropical storms originating in the Mediterranean and traveling thousands of miles to deliver winter rains to northwestern India. Senior Met department officials had been warning of the approaching western disturbance.
