The 40-harsh winter period of Chilai Kalan started with the snow and rain on Sunday, thus bringing an end to three three-month-long dry spell in the Valley.
The upper reaches of Kashmir received its first snowfall of this season while the plains including Srinagar were lashed by rains, heralding the first day of the 40 days of harsh winter cold, locally known as 'Chillai Kalan'.
The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir also received the season's first snowfall since yesterday.
The snowfall has turned both the tourist places into a winter wonderland.
The rain and snowfall ended the nearly three-month-long dry spell in the Valley.
The snowfall was also reported from the Gurez valley, Warwan valley and the higher reaches of south and north Kashmir, including Sinthan Top, Razdan Pass, Sadhna Top, Zojila and Sonmarg.
The snowfall was also recorded in Drass and parts of Kargil district, marking a widespread wet spell across the mountainous belt of the region.
Due to snowfall in the Zojila Pass area, authorities have suspended traffic on the Srinagar-Leh national highway.
Traffic across the Sadna top in Kupwara district, the Razdan Pass in Bandipora district and the Sinthan Pass in Anantnag district has also been suspended.
Tourists in Gulmarg expressed delight at the snowfall.
A visitor from Assam said, “We enjoyed the snowfall after leaving the hotel in the morning. It is a wonderful and life time experience. Everyone should come here and enjoy the snowfall.”
The plains including Srinagar, experienced intermittent rainfall throughout the day.
It brought relief from the prevailing sub-zero temperatures, as precipitation led to a rise in mercury levels.
The MeT said Srinagar recorded 13 mm of rainfall during the day.
Chillai-Kalan, which begins on December 21, marks the coldest phase of winter in Kashmir. It ends on January 31 and is followed by a 20-day period known as Chillai-Khurd and a subsequent 10-day phase called Chillai-Bacha, which signal the gradual easing of harsh winter.
Due to the night-long cloud cover, night temperatures rose throughout the Valley.
Srinagar recorded 4 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature, while Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded minus 1.5 degrees and 2.8 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Jammu city had 11.5 degrees Celsius, Katra town 11.6, Batote 7.6, Banihal 6 and Bhaderwah 5.8 degrees as the minimum temperature.