Light intermittent snowfall continued in some of the upper reaches of Kashmir including tourist resorts of Sonamarg and Gulmarg on Tuesday.
The season’s first snowfall in Kashmir, which began on Monday, continued at many places during the night, the officials said.
They said reports of snowfall were received from upper areas of Gulmarg and Sonamarg tourist resorts.
Parts of Kupwara and Bandipora districts also witnessed snowfall.
The snowfall led to the temporary closure of Srinagar-Leh national highway and other vital routes in the higher reaches of the valley, the officials said.
Authorities, including the Border Roads Organisation, pressed their men and machinery into service to clear the snow this morning, they said.
The officials said while the Srinagar-Leh highway was cleared for traffic, Mughal Road, the alternate route connecting the Kashmir valley with Jammu region, and Sinthan Top, which connects Bandipora with the frontier Gurez sector, were closed for traffic due to accumulation of snow.
The Meteorological Department has forecast generally dry weather till November 13.
“From November 14-15, there is a possibility of light rain/light snow, especially in the higher reaches, at many places of Kashmir and few places of Jammu region while on November 16, there are chances of light rain/light snow in the higher reaches at scattered places,” a MeT official said.
He said from November 17-23, the weather would remain generally dry.
A police official said a team of Border Roads Organisations (BRO), along with Jammu and Kashmir Police and district administrations in Bandipora rescued at least 20 vehicles that were stuck in the snow at Zadkhus Nallah and Razdan Top late last night.
The Bandipora-Gurez Road has been closed for vehicular traffic due to snowfall, and the snow clearance operation is underway, the official said.
The upper reaches receiving snow and rains in plains including Srinagar has resulted in a notable drop in the temperature.
“The minimum temperature in Gulmarg during the intervening nights of Monday and Tuesday was recorded at minus 1.2°C for the first time, and it was minus 1.4°C below normal for the ski resort of Kashmir during this period of the season. Gulmarg also received 11.6mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours,” the MeT official said.
Srinagar received 8.6mm of rainfall, the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir received 13.4mm, Kupwara 12.0mm, and Kukernag 5.8mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours, ending a long dry spell.