Newsroom24x7 Desk

Jammu : The state of Jammu and Kashmir has begun to register the pristinity of winter climate as regions around Jammu, specially in the vicinity of Rajouri district, which witnessed snowfall today, and brought the winter weather into a declared open status. Snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir today, however, led to disruptions in commute as the sky change forced the closure of Mughal Road which connects Rajouri and Shopian districts. Yet, this weather saved the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway from any closure, which remained open despite intermittent rainfall.

Fresh snowfall filled the region of 84-km-long Mughal Road which connects Rajouri district in the Jammu region with Shopian district in the Kashmir valley. It was rendered closed in the day, today, following fresh bouts of beautiful moon-colored snowfall which blocked the road at Peer Ki Gali and Heerpora areas. This resulted in many vehicles getting stranded. The road got filled with pearly white snow and an immediate cleaning was required. Continuous snowfall in the area slightly interfered with road clearance operation. The track had become slippery and demanded for a closure of traffic movement, which was promptly done by government, as a precautionary measure for safety of vehicles and people.

However, traffic continued to ply on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway which forms a vital surface link of the landlocked valley with rest of the world. Additionally, the 422-km Srinagar-Leh highway connecting Ladakh province with Kashmir was also open for one way traffic despite light snowfall which was experienced in this region too. Met department has forecast widespread rains and snowfall during the next 36 hours in the state.

Minimum temperature today touched a scale of 2.8 degrees Celsius in Srinagar city today, 1.3 in Pahalgam, minus 3.0 in Gulmarg, minus 6.7 in Leh town, and minus 5.6 in Kargil town of Ladakh region. In Jammu region, the minimum temperatures today hit levels of 13.0 degrees Celsius in Jammu, 11.6 in Katra, 3.2 in Banihal, 5.5 in Batote and 4.1 in Bhaderwah. Leh recorded a negative dip of as much as 6 points below the zero grade and stood at minus 6.7 degrees Celsius, thus becoming the coldest town in the state today.