Snowfall shuts far off roads, hits flight operations at Srinagar airport

Srinagar | Jan,  4: Kashmir Valley including famed tourist destinations Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Yousmarg and Kokernag received fresh snowfall, leading to the closure of several far-flung roads and cancellation of several flights to and from the Srinagar international airport on Monday, an official said on Tuesday.
A meteorological department official forecast said widespread light rains/snow and moderate snow over the higher reaches is being experienced at present and is likely to intensify as the day progresses. Except moderate snow/rain in plains and heavy snowfall over the higher reaches with the main activity to take place later tonight and tomorrow in both divisions of Jammu and Kashmir .It has also advised people living in avalanche and landslide prone areas not to venture out unless it is absolutely necessary.
There was intermittent rain/snow at present in Srinagar leading to the cancellation of half a dozen morning flights which were scheduled to fly between Srinagar-Delhi, Delhi-Srinagar, and other routes, official sources said.
Srinagar, the summer capital received around 7.1mm of rain and snowfall overnight till 0830hours on Tuesday.
Srinagar recorded a low of 0.6 degree Celsius against previous night’s 3.0 degree Celsius which was 2.7 Celsius above normal for this time of the year.
Famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 21.8 cm of fresh snowfall overnight and the mercury settled at minus 5.0 degree Celsius against minus 5.8 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 13.5 cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 1.2 degree Celsius against minus 3.0 degree Celsius on previous night, he said.
Qazigund, on Srinagar-Jammu National highway received 4.0mm of rain and recorded temperatures of a low of 0.6 degree Celsius against 1.4 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had 1mm of rain or snow even as it recorded a low temperature of minus 0.4 degree Celsius against 0.6 degree Celsius the previous night, the official said.
The frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara received 5.0cms of snowfall and had a minimum temperature of 0.2 degree Celsius against 2.0 degree Celsius on the previous night, the official said.
Bandipora-Gurez road was closed due to fresh and continuing snowfall. 6 inches of snow had already accumulated at Gurez, 9 inches at Razdan top, 5 inches at Tulail and 4 inches at Dawar, a traffic official said.
Reports said that there were 6 inches of snowfall recorded at Sonamarg to Bajri Nallah in Ganderbal.
Also Machil, Karna and Keran roads have been closed as higher reaches of Kupwara received 1.5 ft of snow amid continuing snowfall.