Fresh snow turns Kashmir's high reaches into a winter wonderland; tourists cheer as key highways shut

Fresh snow blanketed Kashmir’s higher reaches for the second day running on Friday, transforming popular tourist spots into a pure white paradise while the plains shivered under heavy rain and plunging temperatures.

An active Western Disturbance dumped snow across Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Gurez, Machil, Zojila Pass, Peer Ki Gali, Sadhna Top, Razdan Pass and other high-altitude zones. Gulmarg’s upper reaches, including Kongdoori and Apharwat, turned white, while Sonamarg recorded its first snowfall of the season. Sadhna Top and Razdan Pass got over a foot of snow, Sinthan Top 8–10 inches, Zojila 5–6 inches and Peer Ki Gali 5–8 inches.

Tourists made the most of it snapping photos, playing in the snow and soaking in the postcard views of snow-covered peaks.

Down in the Valley, including Srinagar, moderate to heavy rain sent day temperatures crashing by 6–8°C, sharpening the winter chill.
The snow also shut key routes. The Srinagar-Leh National Highway stayed closed due to accumulation at Zojila, the Mughal Road was blocked at Peer Ki Gali, and the Bandipora-Gurez road shut at Razdan Pass.

The Met Department expects light to moderate rain in the plains and snow in the higher reaches to continue at places on Friday before conditions improve. Brief light rain or snow is possible on November 14–15, with largely dry weather from November 16–20.

Authorities have urged tourists and travellers heading to the higher reaches to check the latest weather and traffic updates before setting out.

The fresh snow has given tourists a scenic early winter treat, even as the cold snap and closed roads bring fresh challenges for locals.

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