Srinagar: The upper reaches in the Kashmir valley, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and health resort of Pahalgam, experienced first heavy snowfall while plains, including Srinagar, received rains resulting in considerable cold.
It is snowing heavily in all heights in the valley, reports reaching here said.
Gulmarg slopes were covered by more than one feet of snow and it was still snowing, a hotel owner told over phone.
Despite chill, tourists were out on slopes this morning to enjoy the first major snowfall of the winter, he said adding the upper reaches, including Affarwat, Kongdori and Khilanmarg received heavy to very heavy snowfall since last evening.
He said snowfall started last evening which continued throughout the night. It was heavily snowing at 1130 hrs, he said.
This, he said, will help to start skiing courses early this year on the slopes, best in the world.
Last year record number of tourists, including skiers and adventure lovers from different parts of the country and abroad visited Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir.
However, the minimum temperature minus 4.5 degree was up by three notches against yesterday though it was still 0.5 below normal.
Pahalgam, a health resort in south Kashmir 100 km from here also received heavy snowfall since early this morning.
The entire Pahalgam, base camp of Holy
Amarnath Cave shrine, had turned white with all fields, trees, roof tops and roads are covered under snow.
