SRINAGAR: After enduring intense cold wave conditions, with night temperatures plunging several degrees below freezing point, Srinagar and other plains of the Valley experienced their first snowfall of the season on Friday. This welcomed change ended the prolonged dry spell, bringing much-needed winter charm to the plains and transforming it into “winter wonderland”.
Srinagar, where the night temperature dropped to 7.3 degrees Celsius, received snowfall from the afternoon. It was this winter’s first snowfall in Srinagar. Other parts of the Valley also experienced light to moderate snowfall. The upper reaches, including the ski resort of Gulmarg, the tourist destination of Sonamarg and Pahalgam and areas close to the Line of Control received moderate to heavy snowfall.
MeT director Mukhtar Ahmed said that due to the influence of the weather system, which was active in Doda, Kishtar and south Kashmir, central Kashmir and north Kashmir, also received snowfall. He said while the snowfall is expected to continue in south Kashmir during the night, it may stop in Srinagar. The season’s first snowfall turned Srinagar and other parts of the Valley into a “winter wonderland” with a white blanket of snow.
The snowfall brought smiles to everyone’s faces. As it was snowing, the locals, including young children and tourists, celebrated the moment. The boys and girls were seen playing with snowflakes and throwing snowballs at each other.
The tourists, who had come all the way to Kashmir to see live snowfall, were very excited. They captured the unique moment of them enjoying snowfall in images and videos to cherish a memorable experience back home. “We have been praying for snow, and finally, the Almighty accepted our prayers. It will not only provide us much-needed relief from the cold but also help replenish our water reservoirs. It will also boost the tourism sector,” said a Srinagar resident Mudasir Ahmed.
The tourists were seen clicking pictures and videos at historic Ganta Ghar, iconic Dal Lake and other places. “We came here the other day, and we consider ourselves lucky that we are here and experiencing live snowfall. It is a unique experience that cannot be described in words. We are enjoying every bit of it,” said Rahul Sharma from Delhi.
The snowfall is expected to boost Kashmir’s tourism sector. It is expected that the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir may be fully packed for New Year celebrations. However, while everyone was celebrating the snowfall, the locals were also in trouble as electricity to most of the areas got snapped.