Widespread heavy snowfall overnight brought an end to a prolonged dry spell across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, blanketing large parts of the Valley and offering relief from an extended cold and dry period.
Independent weather forecaster Faizan Arif told a local news agency Kashmir News Service that snowfall was reported across all regions, though accumulation varied significantly from district to district.
In Central Kashmir, Budgam district recorded the heaviest snowfall. Pakherpora received between 1.5 and 2 feet of snow, while Charar-i-Sharief saw around 1.5 feet. Srinagar airport measured 3 to 4 inches, though most parts of the city received only light accumulation.
In South Kashmir, Shopian district was among the worst affected, with 1.5 to 2.5 feet of snow in the plains and 2.5 to 4 feet in higher reaches. In Pulwama district, areas such as Drabgam and Rajpora recorded around 1.5 feet of snowfall each.
In North Kashmir, Gulmarg received about 2 feet of snow. Kupwara district saw heavy snowfall, with Hachmarg recording 2.5 feet, while Dedikote and Tangdhar received around 2 feet each. Higher reaches of the Karnah Valley above 2,000 metres reported snowfall ranging between 2.5 and 4 feet.
Snowfall also extended to the Jammu region and Ladakh. Loran Mandi in Poonch received 7 to 8 inches, while Banihal recorded over 5 inches. In Ladakh, the Suru Valley in Kargil district received 3 to 4 inches of snow.
Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast widespread light to moderate rain and snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, with heavy precipitation possible at isolated places. Officials said the current weather system is expected to peak during the day, with another western disturbance likely to affect the region around January 26.
The snowfall follows spells of rain and strong winds on Thursday, which led to uprooted trees and precautionary power cuts in several parts of the Valley, including Srinagar.
Following fresh snowfall, major highways connecting the Kashmir Valley have been closed, while air traffic has also been disrupted, with around 17 flights cancelled.
