Fresh snowfall in south Kashmir, Pir Panjal region
Srinagar / Rajouri, Jan 6: A weak Western Disturbance brought fresh snowfall to parts of south Kashmir on Tuesday, even as biting cold conditions continued to grip the Valley, with Gulmarg recording a minimum temperature of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.
Fresh snowfall was reported from Heerpora, Bufliaz, and Peer Ki Gali along the Mughal Road.
Residents of Heerpora said the snowfall began on Tuesday afternoon and continued intermittently.
Jahangir Ahmad, a local, said around 1 to 2 inches of snow had accumulated by 6 pm.
The snowfall led to the clogging of the Mughal Road, prompting the deployment of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) teams to clear the accumulated snow and restore connectivity.
A brief spell of snowfall was also reported from Vailoo and Kokernag.
Tehsildar of Larnoo, Syed Muiz, told Greater Kashmir that Kokernag witnessed snowfall lasting for about 5 to 10 minutes.
He said fresh snowfall was reported from Sinthan Top.
Fresh snowfall was also reported in the upper reaches of Rajouri and Poonch districts of Pir Panjal region on Tuesday evening, leading to a further dip in temperatures and intensifying the prevailing cold wave conditions.
Light to moderate snowfall began in the higher reaches of Rajouri and neighbouring Poonch district and was continuing till the last reports were received.
The fresh spell of snow has enhanced the winter chill across the region, affecting normal life in these mountainous areas.
Officials said that while the snowfall is expected to make roads slippery and may lead to the temporary closure of some stretches, no major disruption had been reported so far.
However, commuters have been advised to exercise caution while travelling, particularly on higher altitude roads.
At Dehra Ki Gali, the boundary point between Rajouri and Poonch districts, 2 to 4 inches of snow was recorded till late evening, and light snowfall was going on when the last reports were received.
The ongoing snowfall is likely to aggravate cold wave conditions in the twin border districts, with residents bracing for harsher weather in the coming days.
Minimum temperatures across Kashmir dipped further on Tuesday compared to the previous day.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3.6 degrees Celsius on January 5, while the temperature at Srinagar Airport dropped more sharply from minus 3.6 degrees Celsius to minus 4.8 degrees Celsius.
South Kashmir stations witnessed a notable decline, with Pahalgam plunging by nearly two degrees from minus 4.8 degrees Celsius to minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, Anantnag falling from minus 3.2 degrees Celsius to minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, Pulwama from minus 4.2 degrees Celsius to minus 5.4 degrees Celsius, and Shopian from minus 5.6 degrees Celsius to minus 6 degrees Celsius.
In north Kashmir, Baramulla saw a significant fall from minus 0.7 degrees Celsius to minus 4 degrees Celsius, Kupwara from minus 1.8 degrees Celsius to minus 3.1 degrees Celsius, and Bandipora from minus 1.3 degrees Celsius to minus 3.1 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg remained the coldest place in the Valley, although temperatures there marginally improved from minus 8.8 degrees Celsius to minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.
Overall, the data points to a widespread drop in minimum temperatures across most parts of Kashmir, reflecting the persistence of intense winter cold.
Officials at the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Srinagar, forecast partly to largely cloudy conditions with the possibility of light snowfall over isolated higher reaches of north, central, and south Kashmir on January 6.
“From January 7 to 15, the weather is likely to remain partly cloudy,” the officials said.
