Kashmir Valley To Witness Heavy Snowfall From Tonight; Schools Shut Till March 4

New Delhi: The Meteorological Department (MeT) has warned of severe disruption of surface and air transport in the valley due to a major snowfall expected from tonight till March 3. According to the MeT, an active Western disturbance will affect Jammu and Kashmir and the adjoining areas from tonight till March 3, with the highest intensity on March 2. The weather system will bring widespread moderate to heavy rain and snow in Jammu and Kashmir from the night of February 29 or the early morning of March 1 till the afternoon of March 3.

The advisory said that the snowfall will be especially heavy over the Pirpanjal Range of Jammu division and the middle and higher altitudes of Kashmir division, including Anantnag-Pahalgam, Kulgam, Sinthan Pass, Shupiyan-Pir Ki Gali, Sonamarg-Zojila, Bandipora-Razdan Pass, Gulmarg, and Kupwara-Sachna Pass.

The MeT cautioned that the snowfall may disrupt the Jammu-Srinagar highway and other major roads in the middle and higher regions of J&K. It also advised the people living in snowbound areas to avoid going to sloppy and avalanche-prone areas, as there is a high risk of landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in the vulnerable areas.

The advisory added that farmers should refrain from any agricultural activities during the first week of March.