Wednesday 8th Jul, 2026
Gulmarg, other parts of Kashmir receive fresh snowfall
Srinagar, Jan 16 (UNI) World famous ski resort of Gulmarg and other parts of Kashmir valley, including tourist resorts of Pahalgam and Sonmarg, received fresh light to heavy snowfall on Wednesday.
However, the minimum temperature improved considerable due to overcast conditions and settled above normal across Kashmir valley, including the summer capital, which received light snowfall on Wednesday morning.
The cycle of wet weather and prediction of more snowfall has brought cheers to the hoteliers and other players of tourism industry as it will help in increasing the footfall of tourists in Kashmir valley, particularly in Gulmarg.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light to moderate rain and snow would occur during the next 24 hours at most places in the valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is action in the region.
He said weather will turn dry on Thursday. However, he said another WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region though Afghanistan and Pakistan, will hit the state on Friday, which will bring more snow in the coming days.
Gulmarg, where the ski slopes are under several feet of snow, received fresh snowfall since Wednesday morning, much to the delight of skiers and tourists. The night temperature in the ski resort improved about 4 degrees from Tuesday and settled at minus 6 degree, which is about 2 degree above normal.
Meanwhile, sophisticated machines were pressed into service and about several inches of snow accumulated on the Tangmarg-Gumarg road was cleared to make the ski resort, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, accessible to tourists. “Tourists are having a time of their life as the ski resort received snowfall since early this morning,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 from here in south Kashmir, also received fresh snowfall since late last night, resulting in considerable improvement in the minimum temperature. Against minus 12.3 degree recorded on Tuesday, the night temperature in Pahalgam was minus 4.2 degree, which is about three degree above normal.
The upper reaches in Pahalgam, including Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station for Amarnath cave shrine on traditional yatra route, received fresh light to moderate snowfall. Amarnath cave shine and its periphery besides Sheshnag, Mahagung, Pisso top and Panjterni also received fresh snowfall.
“It is snowing heavily in Pahalgam since this morning and the roads, connecting the health resort with the main Anantnag town, have has been closed for traffic due to accumulation of snow,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
Another health resort of Sonmarg on Srinagar-Leh national highway also received fresh snowfall late last night. Baltal, base camp of Amarnath yatra from the shortest yatra route, also received fresh snowfall. Fresh snowfall was also received at Zojila, Zero-point, Meenmarg and other places on Srinagar-Leh national highway, which connects Ladakh region with Kashmir valley. The highway remained closed due to accumulation of several feet of snow at various places from over a month.
After witnessing an improvement of 5 degree from Tuesday in the night temperature, Srinagar, and its adjoining areas turned white due to fresh snowfall on Wednesday morning. Roof, vehicle and tree tops besides open fields and roads had turned white due to fresh snowfall for the past about an hour and it was still snowing.
Against minus 5.8 degree recorded on Tuesday, the night temperature in Srinagar was 2.1 degree, which is still the normal temperature during this time of the year.
Meanwhile, dozens of far-flung and remote villages near the Line of Control (LoC) — including border towns of Keran, Tangdhar, Karnah and Gurez — remained cut off from their respective district headquarters due to fresh snowfall and slippery road conditions in north Kashmir.
The mercury at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir, and tourist resort of Kokernag improved and settled at minus 2.9 degree, 5.6 degree, and minus 3 degree, respectively.