heavy-snowfall-in-kashmir-srinagar-leh-highway-closed

Heavy snowfall in the Kashmir valley has led to the closure of the Srinagar-Leh Highway, with a three-day alert issued by the meteorological department.

 

On February 18, 2024, the Srinagar-Leh Highway was shut down due to substantial snowfall in Sonamarg and the upper regions of the Kashmir Valley. The elevated areas of Jammu and Kashmir experienced fresh snowfall, creating a picturesque scene for visitors.

 

The Srinagar weather service predicts heavy to extremely heavy snowfall in the higher reaches of the Kashmir division over the next three days, starting from today. Visuals depict significant snow accumulation in the upper parts of Kashmir, including Gurez Valley, Pir Panjal, and Sonmarg.

 

The Srinagar-Leh Highway was closed to vehicular traffic due to snow accumulation in Sonamarg's Baltal, located in Ganderbal district.

 

According to the seven-day forecast from the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, the minimum temperature in Srinagar City on Sunday was projected to be 3 degrees Celsius, with a maximum of 8 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature is expected to hover around one degree Celsius for the next five days, starting from February 19, while the maximum temperature will range between 5-8 degrees Celsius.

 

Gulmarg, a prominent ski resort in Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

 

In response to the three-day meteorological alert for snowfall in the valley, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri stated on Sunday, "We were anxiously expecting snowfall... In the last spell, the administration performed admirably... This time, the alert is for three days..."

 

Bidhuri highlighted the decentralization of the Public Works Department, leading to improved efficiency in road clearance after snowfall. He also mentioned the advanced preparations for the Khelo India games in Gulmarg, stating that they are nearly complete.

 

On February 17, the Meteorological Centre Srinagar tweeted, "18-20 Feb: Light to moderate snow/rain over plains with heavy to very heavy snow over higher reaches of KMR Division & Pir Panjal Range of JMU Division." The India Meteorological Department projected significant rainfall in isolated areas of Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan-Muzaffarabad and Himachal Pradesh on February 18 and 20, as well as Uttarakhand on February 19 and 20.