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News Topical, Digital Desk : Several states in northern India experienced a change in weather on Friday. Snowfall affected the hilly areas. Continuous rain disrupted normal life in the plains, including Delhi-NCR. The unseasonal snowfall and rain altered the weather.
Shimla and Manali received the season's first snowfall. The snowfall cut off Kashmir's road and air connectivity with the rest of the country. The Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed, resulting in long queues of vehicles. The Mughal Road, which connects Kashmir via Poonch, is also closed. All flights from Srinagar airport were canceled.
Titwal receives first snowfall since 2005
Karnah and Titwal, along the LoC in Kupwara, experienced snowfall for the first time since 2005. Two to five inches of snow was recorded in the lower reaches of Karnah. Flight operations at Srinagar International Airport have been suspended until further notice due to poor visibility and snow accumulation on the runway. Republic Day celebrations in Delhi were held despite inclement weather.
Shimla and Manali receive the first snowfall of the season
Shimla and Manali received the first snowfall of the season. Shimla city has recorded its heaviest January snowfall since 2022. Starting at 4 a.m. on Friday, a storm with winds of up to 40 kilometers per hour swept through most districts of the state, including Shimla, blowing off the roofs of many houses. Following the fresh snowfall and rain, the entire state is in the grip of a cold wave.
The Meteorological Department has issued an avalanche warning in areas above 2,500 meters. Nearly 600 buses are reported stranded in the state. Meanwhile, in Solan, a 15-year-old girl, Himani, died after being struck by a falling rock on Friday. The victim's family was given 25,000 rupees as immediate relief.
The mountains of Uttarakhand are covered in a blanket of snow
Snowfall occurred at several tourist destinations in Uttarakhand, including Badrinath and Kedarnath. The Drona mountain range of Mussoorie, Chakrata, Dhanaulti, Auli, Tehri, Harshil, and Almora experienced snowfall throughout the day on Friday. Heavy snowfall also occurred in Badrinath, Kedarnath, Hemkund Sahib, Gangotri, Yamunotri, and Kailash. The high peaks of Nainital received the first snowfall of the season.
According to Chandra Singh Tomar, Director of the Meteorological Center, the mountainous areas will remain partly cloudy and there will be a possibility of light rain and snowfall. Kedarnath shrine has been covered in up to a foot of snow. Snowfall has also fallen on Bharatkot, the highest peak in the Almora district, as well as on the peaks of the Dronagiri (Dunagiri) mountain range.
Ranikhet town area receives snowfall after two years
The Ranikhet town area has received snowfall after a gap of two years. The rain and snow have brought relief to farmers and gardeners. On Friday, Jammu and Kashmir experienced rain in the plains and snowfall in all mountainous areas, including Gulmarg.
Jammu's famous tourist destination, Patnitop, and the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine received the season's first snowfall. The pilgrimage to Mata Vaishno Devi was suspended for seven hours. The Meteorological Department has warned of avalanche danger in five districts of the state for the next 24 hours. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah held a meeting to review the situation.
Three to five feet of snow
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department has predicted rain and snowfall on January 26th and 27th. Three to five feet of snow has fallen in high mountain areas in Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Yusmarg, and Sonamarg. Three to five feet of snow has accumulated in areas along the Pir Panjal in Shopian. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has also been closed near the Navyug Tunnel due to heavy snowfall.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of the Jammu Railway Division, Uchit Singhal, said train operations are being delayed. No trains have been cancelled. Delhi received its first rainfall of the year, bringing some relief from the city's high pollution levels. The rain significantly improved air quality.
Delhi traffic is very bad.
Some commuters shared pictures of long traffic jams after the rain on the internet with captions like, "Light rain, heavy drama - Delhi's extreme behaviour", "Delhi traffic is terrible!" On Friday, winds blew at a speed of 30 to 40 kmph in the Terai region of western Uttar Pradesh, NCR and adjoining districts of Uttarakhand.
A hailstorm alert has been issued for approximately 15 districts in western Uttar Pradesh, the Terai region, and adjacent Uttarakhand. According to senior meteorologist Atul Kumar Singh, another western disturbance is becoming active in Uttar Pradesh from January 27th.
Heavy rain and hailstorm lashed several districts of Punjab.
Heavy rain and hailstorms lashed several districts of Punjab. Rain that began Thursday evening continued until Friday afternoon. Jalandhar, Ludhiana, and Muktsar experienced rain and hailstorms. Bhavesh, an ITI student, died after being electrocuted by an electric pole in Nabha, Patiala district. The Chandigarh Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for similar rainfall until Saturday.
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