From postcard snow hills to rain-soaked plains, dry spell ends in North India, farmers, tourists rejoice

NEW DELHI: Snow and rain. Dark skies over north India wrote in both on Friday, the snow painting the hills a picture postcard white while steady rain disrupted life across the plains, including in Delhi where the full dress Republic Day rehearsal went ahead despite the weather odds.

Temperatures plummeted as the prolonged dry spell finally ended in the region with the unseasonal snow and rainfall. It led to sighs of relief from farmers in many and whoops of delight from tourists in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir preparing for a long holiday weekend.

Fresh snowfall in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir led to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, suspension of Mata Vaishno Devi yatra and cancellation of over 20 flights in Kashmir.

Gulmarg received over two feet of fresh snow, while the Sonamarg in Ganderbal district recorded over six inches, and the Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district around three inches, they said.

Moderate to heavy snowfall was recorded in many areas in Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara Shopian, Pulwama, and Bandipora districts, while Anantnag and Kulgam districts received light to moderate snow, they added.

The air traffic to and fro Kashmir was suspended on Friday after flight operations were cancelled at the Srinagar airport due to heavy snowfall in the valley, which has rendered the runway unsafe for aircraft operation, officials said.

“Due to adverse weather conditions and snowfall in Srinagar, the runway is currently not available for safe aircraft operations. In the interest of passenger safety, all flight operations to and from Srinagar have been cancelled for the day,” an official of Airport Authority of India (AAI) said here.

The Mughal Road, the alternate route connecting the valley with Jammu region, was also shut, while the Srinagar-Leh national highway was also closed for traffic due to snowfall in Sonamarg and Zojila Axis.

The Meteorological Department has forecast the current weather system to continue till Friday evening. There is a possibility of heavy rain or snow with gusty winds or hailstorm over a few districts of Pir-Panjal range, Chenab valley and south Kashmir.

High-speed winds swept many places in the valley, including Srinagar, last night, uprooting trees, electricity poles, and rooftops in few areas, while also snapping power lines, the officials said.

In Jammu, schools in Rajouri, Poonch and Kathua districts were closed after snowfall was experienced in the high altitude areas. Moderate rains lashed the plains, including Jammu city, bringing an end to a dry spell that had lasted for over two months.

In Delhi, a long spell of dry winter weather finally ended when the city recorded its first rain of the year, bringing a brief relief from high pollution levels in the city.

The showers led to a significant shift in air quality as Delhi’s AQI stood at 293 in the “poor” category, according to the CPCB’s Sameer app, an improvement from 313 recorded at 4 pm on Thursday.

While soldiers marched along the Kartavya Path in soaked uniforms and boots for full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade, office goers battled cold and congestion when peak-hour rain brought the city to its knees.

Following a steady rainfall, traffic crawled in parts of the city. While some commuters shared pictures of long jams on X, with captions, “Light rain, heavy drama – peak Delhi behaviour”, “Delhi traffic sucks!”

At Kartavya Path, marching columns of soldiers in soaked uniforms and wet boots held the full dress rehearsal of the Republic Day parade even though steady rain and thunder delayed proceedings at the ceremonial boulevard.

People who came to watch the rehearsal remained seated even as the rain continued. Many used umbrellas, caps and plastic sheets to protect themselves, while others adjusted their seating and belongings as the rain passed.

Himachal Pradesh on Friday received its first snowfall of this winter, ending a nearly three-month-long dry spell and bringing cheers to the tourists and turning the hill state into a winter wonderland.

Tourists seen enjoying the snow at famous tourist spots. Some users on X, posting videos of the fresh snowfall, suggested tourists to drive slowly on the road.

“I’ve seen snowfall for the first time in Manali. It is an amazing experience,” a tourist from Una said.

Another tourist said, “We have been coming here so several years, visited many places hoping to witness snowfall. And this time we are witnessing it. Its like a dream come true.”

A Gujarat resident, who came to Manali to witness snowfall, said, “We are enjoying a lot. There is snow everwhere. Everyone should come to Himachal and witness this. Its worth every penny we spent on this trip.”

The MeT has predicted that the higher reaches of the state will continue to receive snowfall till January 24, while other areas are expected to remain dry.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, in a post on X, said this snowfall will prove “beneficial for water sources and the upcoming agricultural and horticultural season”.

“Farmers and horticulturists in the region have received significant relief from the snowfall that occurred after a prolonged dry spell. Heartfelt thanks to God for this natural blessing,” he said.

He also appealed tourists and locals to remain vigilant in the changing weather.

Snowfall in higher reaches and rain in low-lying areas of Uttarakhand ended a long dry spell and intensified the cold wave.

Fresh snowfall covered Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Auli, Mussoorie, Chakrata, Dhanaulti and Uttarkashi in a thick layer of white.

The change in weather has drawn tourists to various spots, including the Mall Road and other spots in Mussoorie, with many posting videos of the snowfall on social media. ​Apple growers and other horticulturists, who had been waiting for the precipitation also welcomed the snowfall.

In Rajasthan, rainfall under the influence of a fresh western disturbance was recorded in several parts, including Jaipur. Pushkar in the Ajmer district recorded the highest rainfall at 13.0 mm. Light to moderate fog was also reported at a few places.

Another western disturbance is likely to become active over northern and western parts of Rajasthan during January 27 and 28.

A prolonged dry spell also ended in Punjab and Haryana, as the two states witnessed rainfall on Friday, leading to a rise in minimum temperatures, hovering above normal limits.

Most places of the two states, including their joint capital Chandigarh, have been witnessing inclement weather since late Thursday night. (PTI)