Jammu-Srinagar National Highway closed following moderate snowfall

The 270-km Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed on Thursday evening following moderate snowfall in and around Jawahar Tunnel the gateway to Kashmir valley, the traffic department said.

About one feet of snow had accumulated at the tunnel on the Kashmir side till 7 pm, forcing suspension of the vehicular traffic on the highway, the only all weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, the official said.

The high altitude areas of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh including the famous ski resort of Gulmarg experienced moderate snowfall while the plains including the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar were lashed by rains since Thursday afternoon.

The weatherman has issued an orange warning for the Union Territories for Thursday and Friday, forecasting moderate to heavy snowfall and rain caused by Western Disturbances which had hit the region on Wednesday.

However, the weather is likely to improve on Saturday morning, the meteorological department said.

Due to overcast conditions, the night temperature in most parts of Jammu and Kashmir marked an increase and settled above the season's average but the day temperature fell several degrees below normal during this part of the season, the official said.

Srinagar recorded a maximum of 5.9 degrees celsius, 3.6 notches below the season's average and a minimum of minus 0.7 degrees Celsius which is 0.3 above normal during this part of the season.

Jammu recorded a high of 15.2 degrees Celsius -- 6.2 degrees below normal, and a low of 10.5 degrees Celsius which is 1.3 notches above normal, the spokesperson said.

Leh in the Ladakh region was the coldest recorded place with a low of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius and a high of 1.6 degrees Celsius, he said.