MET predicts snow, rain; fresh avalanche warning issued for 9 districtsresh snowfall occurred in the higher reaches and some areas in the plains, including Srinagar, on Thursday.

Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day today.

The ongoing clearance operation is being hampered by frequent landslides, superintendent of traffic police (rural) Muzaffer Ahmad Shah told.

Shah said that highway travelers must contact traffic control units before leaving for their destinations.


Hundreds of people who are stranded along the highway and Jammu bus stand for the past three days have been facing hardships in absence of proper arrangements at both Jammu and the highway.

Traffic department officials said landslides have hit the highway during the past two days at Digdol, Panthal and Khooni Nallah.In view of avalanche threat in nine avalanche-prone districts of Kashmir—Anantnag, Kulgam, Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kargil and Leh—divisional commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Kha

n has asked the deputy commissioners concerned to take all precautionary measures and keep the SDRF, police and para-medical staff in readiness to avert any untoward incident The DCs have asked to advise the people living in avalanche-prone areas not to venture out.

Director MeT department, Sonam Lotus said that there are likely chances of light snow/rains at isolated places in the next 24 hours.

“There has been improvement in weather conditions across the state. It is going to improve further,” a MeT official said.

As night temperatures rose slightly in Valley, Srinagar city recorded minus 1.5 degree Celsius temperature. The famous hill resort of Pahalgam was at minus 6.8 degree Celsius while Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded minus 3 degree Celsius, and Kokernag recorded minus 6.7 degree Celsius.The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in northern Kashmir saw a minimum of minus 12.6 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara town in northern Kashmir registered minus 2.4 degree Celsius, Leh town recorded minus 14.2 degree Celsius while in Kargil it was minus 18.4 degree Celsius.Jammu recorded 5.5 degree Celsius, Katra 5.0, Batote minus 1.2, Banihal 0.1 and Bhaderwah minus 0.3 as the night’s lowest temperatures.