Cold wave intensifies in Kashmir; Himachal Pradesh receives season’s first snowfall

Srinagar/Shimla: The cold wave intensified in Kashmir as mercury plummeted several degrees below the freezing point across the valley with Gulmarg recording a low of minus 9.0 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg, which received fresh snowfall on Sunday, was the coldest recorded place in Kashmir last night, officials said.

Pahalgam, which serves as base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, they said.

Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius while Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.2 degrees Celsius.

Kupwara in north Kashmir and Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius.

The weather office has forecast dry weather in Kashmir over the next 10 days with possibility of light snowfall in higher reaches of the valley on December 12.

Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh witnessed its first snowfall of the season which led to the closure of at least 87 roads in the state, including Atari-Leh National Highway 3 near Manali’s Rohtang Pass, the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) said.

A total of 58 roads were closed in Shimla, followed by 17 in Kinnaur, six in Kangra, two in Lahaul and Spiti, one each in Kullu and Chamba districts. Some parts of Himachal suffered power outrages as 457 transformers were disrupted, the SEOC said.

Shimla received 2.5 cm of snow, and areas like The Ridge, Mall Road and Jakhoo Peak were covered in a light blanket of snow. Snowfall was also recorded in key tourist destinations such as Manali, Kasauli, and Chail.

Since Sunday evening, about 800 people stranded in 490 vehicles in Lahaul due to the snowfall have been rescued, according to the Lahaul and Spiti police. Snow and slippery road conditions also disrupted vehicular traffic on several roads in the upper Shimla region.

Despite the adverse weather, schools in Shimla remained open due to ongoing exams, and the supply of essential goods was also not affected.