Jammu and Kashmir capital Srinagar on Tuesday witnessed the first snowfall of the season. The advent of snow in Srinagar led to fall in mercury level across north India, intensifying the cold conditions.



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According to the Met department, Western disturbances have triggered snowfall in the Kashmir Valley.


Meanwhile, Pir Panjal range in J&K continued to receive snowfall forcing the authorities to close the Mughal road for traffic. Residents used bonfire in order to battle cold wave conditions in J&K's Rajouri sector.



A month-long dry spell in Jammu and Kashmir ended with the Valley receiving fresh snowfall while the plains were lashed by heavy rain, leading to a rise in minimum temperature at most places across the Ladakh region.


Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, recorded 15 cm (about six inches) of fresh snowfall till 8:30 am on Monday morning. Light snowfall was also recorded at the other famous health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir.


Residents in Srinagar were pleasantly surprised to see a thin blanket of snow covering the landscape in the morning.


"This is Kashmir. Without snow the landscape looks orphaned. If the government is able to provide basic amenities to the people, winter is undoubtedly the best season in Kashmir," said Nisar Hussain, a retired chief engineer who lives in Gogjibagh.


The weather office said the minimum temperature was minus 0.2 in Srinagar and 0.1 in Pahalgam. While Gulmarg at minus 6.5 was the coldest place in the state on Tuesday, the Met said.


The minimum temperature was minus 1.4 in Leh and minus three degrees in Kargil towns of the Ladakh region.


Jammu city recorded 12.5, Katra town 9.2, Batote 0.2, Bannihal minus 0.1, Bhaderwah 0.2 and Udhampur 10.2 as the minimum temperatures.


(With agency inputs)