After a warm Sunday, temperatures dropped sharply across the Kashmir Valley, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand as snowfall and rains lashed many parts of the northern hill states on Monday.
Snowfall and Rains in Kashmir
Snowfall was reported from Sonamarg in north Kashmir and Sadna Pass in Kupwara district, while Srinagar experienced a heavy downpour in the afternoon. Heavy snowfall at Pir ki Gali led to the closure of Mughal Road, which connects Kashmir with Jammu’s Poonch and Rajouri districts, leaving around 100 vehicles stranded. Several stranded passengers took to social media, appealing to the administration for rescue. The Met department advised people to avoid boating and shikara rides due to gusty winds and warned of possible landslides and occasional rains in higher reaches and on the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Orange Alert in Himachal Pradesh
Amid an orange alert in Himachal Pradesh, light to moderate rainfall was recorded in parts of Kullu, Mandi, Bilaspur, Kangra, Chamba, Lahaul-Spiti, Solan, Sirmaur, and Shimla districts. Thunderstorms, hailstorms, and gusty winds were also reported in some areas. Mercury plunged by several notches across the state.
Fresh Snowfall in Uttarakhand
In Uttarakhand, Kedarnath saw fresh snowfall in the afternoon even as the annual pilgrimage continued. Authorities maintained close vigil over weather conditions and the flow of pilgrims. Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra said the Char Dham yatra was proceeding smoothly, though helicopter services had been disrupted due to unfavorable weather conditions. Superintendent of Police Niharika Tomar stated that coordination among the administration, police, and disaster response teams has been intensified in view of the weather alert, with contingency measures in place. Police have strengthened traffic and crowd management along the route. The entire route is under camera surveillance, enabling quick response and decision-making to ensure minimal disruption to the yatra, police said.
Weather Forecast
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted thunderstorms accompanied by lightning, hail, intense to very intense rainfall, and gusty winds (40-50 kmph) at isolated places on Tuesday across several districts, including Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar.
