The higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Saturday, while heavy rain lashed the plains in the union territory.
A Met Department official said moderate to heavy rain continued in the plains while Sonamarg, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, and other places in the higher reaches received fresh snowfall.
Advertisement
“Moderate to heavy rain lashed the plains. Same weather conditions are likely to continue during the next 24 hours”, the official added.
South Kashmir’s Shopian town recorded 4 to 5 inches of snow in the morning.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed for traffic as landslides and shooting stones hit the highway in the Ramban area. The minimum temperatures have also dropped throughout the valley.
Srinagar recorded 7.3 degrees Celsius as its minimum temperature, while Pahalgam and Gulmarg recorded 0.1 degrees Celsius and minus 1.3 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Jammu city recorded 15.4 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest temperature.
In the Ladakh region, Kargil recorded the season’s first snowfall on Saturday, while 5 inches of fresh snow was recorded in Drass town.
“A great western disturbance is coming which will specifically affect the western Himalayan region. So, we are expecting snowfall activity will be increased in the western Himalayan region. We are expecting heavy rainfall or heavy snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir on October 23,” IMD senior scientist Naresh Kumar said.
On Saturday, the water level increased in most rivers of Jammu and Kashmir after the valley was lashed by heavy rains.
Due to the adverse weather conditions, a number of highways have been closed in the valley on Saturday. The Ladakh-Srinagar highway was closed due to snowfall, while the Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed due to landslides triggered by heavy rains.
Power supply has been disrupted in Kashmir due to rainfall, accompanied by thunderstorms and wind in several areas. In the valley, 33 kV lines reportedly broke down in Ramsoo, Gool, Sangaldan, Dharmari-Pouni line, Chenani line due to heavy snowfall and rain.
(With IANS inputs)
