Srinagar, Jan 04 (KNS): Amidst prediction by the local Meteorological department (MeT), the Valley including Srinagar, the summer capital of the State experienced a fresh snowfall in this afternoon, breaking the two-month-long dry spell in Srinagar.
The snowfall started in the afternoon in both plains as well as hilly areas of Kashmir valley. Earlier, the rest of the places except Srinagar had received a fresh snowfall on Jan 02, a day after the MeT informed that two western disturbances are affecting JK from Jan 01-02 and Jan 04-06.
Snowfall started immediately after 2pm when the people were coming out of the Masjids after offering congregational Friday prayers.
Within half an hour, almost the surface was covered by a white blanket of snow and commuters were finding it difficult to move around in different parts of Srinagar city.
The officials in the local MeT department told Kashmir News Service (KNS) that there is possibility of moderate rains and snowfall in plains while as higher reaches may experience heavy rain or snowfall till January 06 afternoon as per the forecast.
Deputy Director MeT, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that the weather would remain wet till Jan 06 (Sunday) afternoon and the higher reaches including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam and others would receive fresh snowfall in between 04 Jan to 06 Jan afternoon.
He added that the minimum temperature has risen in the past couple of days and it will go further up in the upcoming days. Dr Mukhtar told KNS that the maximum temperature will go up by some degrees in the couple of days. About visibility, Dr Mukhtar said that the visibility will improve after the wet spell till Jan 06 afternoon.
Notably, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan had issued an avalanche warning in the hilly areas of Kashmir valley besides sounding an alert for preparedness to meet any eventuality in the wake of a snowfall.
Meanwhile, the traffic on Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed after the fresh snowfall triggered slippery conditions on the road.
An official of the traffic department told KNS that the Srinagar-Jammu highway was closed for the vehicular movement after the snowfall occurred in the valley and triggered slippery conditions of the road.
Moreover, the traffic department on Thursday evening informed that the Mughal road and Srinagar-Kargil road will continue to remain closed for the vehicular movement due to the accumulation of snow.
Besides, the air traffic was also suspended by the authorities in this afternoon due to poor visibility.
“All the flights scheduled to take off or arrive have been suspended due to the poor visibility,” officials said, adding that the flights will operate normally on Saturday in case the visibility improves. (KNS)