WD may hit J&K from Dec 1
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 24: The people residing in the Jammu and Kashmir heaved a sigh of relief as they finally got some respite from prolonged dry weather after Valley received much needed rain while hilly areas in the region experienced season’s first snowfall last night.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO
The prolonged dry weather which has started taking toll on agriculture sector, and also resulting in large scale viral infections beside tourism industry, also got affected badly but due to new snow last night, finally got some respite as thin layer of snow engulfed entire hilly areas of Kashmir, surrounding hills of Bhaderwah valley and parts of Ramban, Kishtwar, Udhampur and Sarthal in Kathua, in Jammu division.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Guldanda meadows located on Bhaderwah-Basohli-Pathankot highway which became most visited snow destination of J&K last year due to abundant snow from as early as from October remained devoid of visitors this year due to dry weather.
Last night’s snowfall has finally brightened up the tourism prospects especially that of Guldanda as after last night’s snow fall, tourists from different parts of the country have already started converging there to enjoy the snow.
However, tourists could travel up to famous Guldanda meadows, as 18 RCC men of GREF/BRO led by Oifficer Commanding, Lt Col Gaurabh Tiwari, based at Bhaderwah cleared the snow from the road. The vistors, however, have been advised by the administration to take precautions due to slippery road conditions,
“We were waiting eagerly for the snow, as last year, Guldanda became the darling of snow lovers as the first snowfall was recorded in first week of October and after that it was no looking back as everyday hundreds of tourists visited here resulting in brisk business for dozens of local vendors,” said a local vendor Imran Ali of village Basti, Bhaderwah.
“Although it is too little and too late but still we are expecting that after last night’s snowfall, our business will pick up as on the very first day, visitors have started arriving here, which surely is a good omen,” Imran added.
Meanwhile, tourists who visited Guldanda today, seem thoroughly enjoying the white layer of snow at high altitude meadows.
“This is really like a fairytale as the beauty of snow filled meadows is breathtaking. We could not believe our luck that we are really here to witness these breathtaking locales. I would love to stay here forever,” said Arun Bhosel-a tourist from Mumbai.
The snowfall has also been reported from the higher reaches of Kishtwar, Ramban, Kathua, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch. With this a further all in temperature has been experienced in the region,
A MeT official said that Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 16.1 degrees Celsius, Katra Mata Vaishnodevi 12.5 deg C, Batote township a minimum temperature 5.5 deg C, highway township of Banihal 3.7 deg C while Leh City registered minus 7.2 Degree C temperature today.
Meanwhile, the higher reaches of Kashmir valley experienced fresh snowfall while some plains received rains resulting in closure of several strategic roads.
The historical Mughal Road connecting south Kashmir’s Shopian district with the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu division, was closed for vehicular traffic as a precautionary measure following the snowfall on Peer Ki Gali on Sunday, a senior Traffic Police official said.
Gurez-Bandipora road was also closed for vehicular traffic due to accumulation of snowfall on the Razdan Top and other connected roads of the north Kashmir district. The traffic on Sonamarg-Kargil road has also been suspended due to slippery conditions, they said.
The overnight snowfall covered the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district in a white blanket, much to the delight of the tourists staying there.
Reports of snowfall were received from Karnah in frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara. Leh in the Union Territory of Ladakh also received the season’s first snowfall last evening.
Barring the picnic spot of Kokernag in south Kashmir the day temperature marginally dropped and recorded below normal at all the weather stations of the Valley.
Srinagar today recorded a maximum temperature of 13.7 degrees C and minimum 4.0 degrees C; famous tourist resort Gulmarg recorded a maximum temperature of 3.0 deg C and minimum minus 1.5 deg C while Pahalgam recorded a day temperature of 9.4 degc and night temperature of 0.2 degree C today.
The Meteorological Centre, Srinagar predicted that the weather generally will remain cloudy with the possibility of light rain/light snow over higher reaches and at isolated places till forenoon tomorrow.
The weather is likely to remain generally dry till the end of November.
Another Western Disturbance (WD) likely to hit on December 1 may cause light rain and light snow over the higher reaches and at the scattered to fairly widespread places during the late night of November 30 to forenoon of December 1, the MeT official said.
The weather will generally remain dry till December 5, he added.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
