2 flights at Jammu Airport cancelled
Mughal Road closed, dry weather to continue in Jammu
Fayaz Bukhari/ Govind Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Nov 11: The higher reaches of Kashmir, including popular tourist destinations like Gulmarg and Sonamarg, experienced the season’s first snowfall today, while rain swept across the Valley, breaking a month-long dry spell. Meanwhile, Jammu remained dry, with hazy conditions causing the cancellation of two flights at Jammu Airport. In contrast, the higher regions of Poonch and Rajouri received snowfall, with rain showers reported in the plains.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
It was snowing in the Affarwat area of Gulmarg since last night and towards the evening it started snowing in Gulmarg bowl much to the delight of the visiting tourists. It was also snowing this evening in the famous tourist resort of Sonamarg after it snowed this morning in Zojila pass connecting Kashmir to Ladakh region.
Sadhna Top in Kupwara district connecting Kupwara with Karnah, Razdan Top in Bandipora district connecting Bandipora with Gurez valley and Pir Ki Gali connecting Shopian with Rajouri and Pooch also received light snowfall. Bandipora-Gurez road was closed today for vehicular traffic following fresh snowfall in the higher reaches. It also snowed in the Gurez and Tulail areas of Bandipora district.
The snowfall in Sadna pass led to slippery road conditions and the Army rescued passengers stranded in an SRTC bus at Khooni Nallah. “Responding to an emergency call, the Army deployed personnel who reached the stranded passengers, including children and elderly, in cold conditions and evacuated them. The passengers were taken to the Sadna Top shelter, where they were provided warmth through traditional heating gadgets,” an army official said.
Srinagar and other plain areas of the Valley were lashed by rains since this afternoon. The snowfall and rain led to drop in the day temperature significantly, signalling the arrival of winter in Kashmir.
A Meteorological Department official said here that there is possibility of light rain and light snow in higher reaches over North and few places of central Kashmir. He said dry weather will prevail from November 12 to 14. “Light rain/light snow over the reaches of North and few places of Central Kashmir on November 15 and 16. There will be generally dry weather from November 17 to 23,” he said.
“Farmers are advised for safe storage of harvested crops and other farm operations. Mist and shallow to moderate fog over plains of Jammu and Kashmir during early morning and late evening hours,” he said.
In Jammu region, higher reaches of Poonch and Rajouri districts received snowfall while plains witnessed light to moderate rains. The Mughal Road, a vital route connecting Rajouri and Poonch districts with the Kashmir valley, has been closed for all traffic following fresh snowfall in the region. The snowfall, which began late last night, has rendered the road unsafe for vehicles, prompting authorities to enforce the closure as a precautionary measure.
SDM Surankote Farooq Nazki informed that snow accumulation along the higher stretches of the Mughal Road, particularly near Pir Ki Gali, has made travel conditions treacherous. He said as a precautionary measure, the road has been closed for vehicular traffic. “The administration is closely monitoring the situation and has deployed snow-clearing machinery along the route to restore connectivity at the earliest,” he added.
“Travelers planning to use the Mughal Road are advised to delay their journeys until further notice. Updated information on road conditions will be provided by the authorities as weather conditions evolve,” the SDM further added and urged the citizens to follow official advisories and stay informed on road safety updates through reliable sources.
Other higher reaches of Poonch district such as Sawjian and Loran also received snowfall while plain areas of Poonch, Surankote and Mandi witnessed rains after 2 PM. However, the weather remained dry in Jammu with hazy conditions prevailing in the area for last 2 days. According to the weatherman, there is probability of further rains in plains and snowfall in higher reaches of Poonch and Rajouri districts on 15th and 16th November. He, however, said there is no forecast of rain for other parts of Jammu.
He stated that the weather in Jammu is expected to remain dry until November 24, with foggy conditions prevailing, especially in the plains. “Light fog or mist will persist in the plain areas of Jammu,” he explained, attributing these conditions to pollution from the burning of paddy crop residue by local farmers. This agricultural practice, common in the region, releases particles into the air, creating a hazy atmosphere and reducing visibility across parts of the plains.
Meanwhile, due to poor visibility in view of hazy atmosphere in Jammu, 2 Indigo flights (Jammu to Mumbai and Jammu to Delhi) were cancelled from Jammu Airport. Eleven flights were cancelled on Sunday due to low visibility and another was called off due to technical reasons.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
