Let it snow: Relief for Kashmir after dry spell

Srinagar: After a prolonged dry spell, the heavens finally relented, sending down delicate flakes of snow at most places in Kashmir valley on Friday.

For weeks, the people of Kashmir had watched the skies with longing, hoping for a sign of the changing seasons. However, since Thursday evening, snowfall started in many areas of the region covering the landscape in a white blanket.

The snowfall is expected to continue for the coming few days, and isolated to scattered light rain is also predicted. On Tuesday, a private weather forecaster predicted that three subsequent Western Disturbances may break Kashmir’s prolonged dry spell.

Snowfall is going on along the Mughal Road and Pir Ki Gali in southern Kashmir’s Shopian district, reports said. Gulmarg ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district also experienced moderate snowfall.

Simultaneously, Gurez, Karnah, Shopian, Tulail, and other elevated areas in the Valley witnessed ongoing snowfall. Through the night, the snow continued to fall, soft and gentle, covering rooftops, trees, and fields in a silent embrace.

The weatherman has also issued an advisory, saying that the present system may lead to the temporary closure of roads of higher reaches and important passes like Sinthan Pass, Mughal Road, Sadhna, Razdan pass and Zojila particularly during January 28-31.

However, it didn’t snow in Srinagar and other plain areas in Kashmir. By January 25, Jammu and Kashmir saw a drastic 100 per cent deficit in rainfall.

The unexpected weather pattern has led to a downturn for travel businesses and tour operators. The delay in snowfall has created a lot of problems for everyone, but particularly those associated with winter tourism and adventure tourism.

The winter snow provides drinking water, irrigates paddy fields and powers 19 vital hydropower projects.

Meanwhile, due to cloud cover, there was a considerable increase in night temperature with Srinagar recording a low of minus 0.5°C against minus 3.6°C on previous night and it was 1.8°C above normal for the summer capital of J&K for this time of the year.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 3.7°C against minus 4.5°C on the previous night and the temperature was 3.5°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort.