J&K to receive season’s first heavy snowfall over next 2 days: Weatherman

The meteorological department has predicted heavy snowfall over the next couple of days, which has put the J&K administration on high alert.

As per the weatherman, the UT is likely to receive the season’s first snowfall on Friday. The meteorological department also issued a weather advisory to J&K’s top officials.

“An active western disturbance (WD) is likely to effect the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh from November 13 to 15. The system is likely to cause heavy rain and snow mainly in the upper reaches of Kashmir which may lead temporary disruption in air and surface transportation on the Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Leh national highways,” said an advisory issued by MeT department.

MeT officials said there could be dip in day temperature and increase in the night temperature.

Following the advisory, the officials have decided to close traffic on all the routes, which could receive heavy snowfall. The government has already setup control rooms in Srinagar and other districts to monitor the situation. Last year the snowfall had caused disruption in the day-to-day lives and break down of the government services, especially electricity.

Last year the Kashmir had witnessed the first heavy snowfall in the month of November, which had caused heavy damage to the apple growers. This time, the horticulture department has also issued an advisory to fruit growers and farmers.

This year, the summer in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) was unusually dry. The western disturbance brought negligible precipitation and rainfall between July and October (monsoon) was 35% below normal. The Valley mostly owes its precipitation to the western disturbance — winds blowing from the Mediterranean Sea.