Srinagar, Dec 29: Kashmir is bracing for a fresh spell of rain and snowfall this week, even as minimum temperatures across the Valley remained above normal, the Meteorological Department (MeT) said on Sunday.
An official from the department said that moderate snowfall is likely in many parts of Kashmir on Tuesday, with the main activity expected to occur during the afternoon. “The weather will remain generally cloudy on Wednesday and Thursday, with light rain or snowfall expected over higher reaches,” the official said.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 0.8 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, about 3.4 degrees Celsius above the seasonal average.
Gulmarg, the Valley’s coldest location, recorded a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, which was nearly three degrees above normal.
In south Kashmir, the tourist resort of Pahalgam registered a minimum of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, also 3.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, recorded a low of zero degrees Celsius.
The Kokernag-Sinthan-Kishtwar Road and Gawran-Margan Top-Warwan Road remained shut.
Meanwhile, authorities ordered the temporary closure of key roads linking Kashmir with the Chenab Valley in view of snowfall forecasts and slippery road conditions.
The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kokernag, Prince Kumar, ordered the suspension of vehicular traffic on the Daksum-Sinthan Top-Chhatroo Road, which connects Kashmir with Kishtwar district, and the Gowran-Margan Top Road.
In an official order, the SDM said, “Snowfall on Sunday night, coupled with the forecast of further snowfall over the coming days, has rendered these routes unsafe for vehicular movement.”
The order said the decision was taken “in the interest of public safety,” adding that traffic on both roads will remain suspended until further notice.
“The roads shall be reopened only after snow clearance by the concerned departments and certification that the routes are fit for vehicular traffic,” the order said.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of Larnoo has been directed to strictly enforce the closure by erecting barricades at designated checkpoints and preventing any unauthorised movement during the closure period.
Authorities have appealed to the public and all concerned departments to adhere to the order to avoid any untoward incidents.
Roads connecting the Chenab Valley regions typically remain closed for nearly six months during winter due to heavy snowfall.
While Kishtwar town remains accessible through the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway via Doda, the remote twin valleys of Marwa and Warwan, home to nearly 40,000 people across about 40 villages, remain cut off from the district headquarters during winter.
The 100-km Larnoo-Margan Top-Warwan Road, opened in 2007 to connect the valleys with Kokernag in south Kashmir, is their only surface link to the outside world.
In its absence, residents either trek long distances to reach Kishtwar or wait until summer to travel via the Kokernag-Sinthan route.
Meanwhile, the Mughal Road, which connects south Kashmir’s Shopian district with Rajouri and Poonch in the Pir Panjal region, remains open but may be closed if snowfall resumes.
The road was earlier shut following light to moderate snowfall and accumulation at Peer Ki Gali.