Kashmir Finds Relief In Heavy Snow Amid Major Damages To Infrastructure
Residents in Kashmir valley woke up to a picturesque winter wonderland on Friday morning after the region received its first major snowfall of the season.
Published : January 23, 2026 at 11:39 AM IST
|Updated : January 23, 2026 at 7:22 PM IST
Srinagar: After a three-month dry spell that left the Valley parched and people on edge, Kashmir finally woke up to a heavy blanket of snow on Friday. The season’s first major snowfall transformed the region into a picturesque winter wonderland, ending a staggering 85 per cent rainfall deficit.
For farmers like Tahir Majeed in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, the sight of snow was less about scenery and more about survival. Standing in knee-deep snow, he described the snow arrival as a "nature’s blessing" for the region dependent on agriculture, but was staring at a bleak future in the absence of snow.
Majeed was worried as the upper reaches that feed rivers and streams, and irrigations had fallen barren and snowless in the mid of 40-days harshest winter period.
But in Shopian, the Valley’s apple bowl for juicy and crunchy apples, the relief was even deeper as accumulation crossed three feet and even reached five feet in remote and inaccessible villages.
A grower Ishfaq Ahmad, explained that the secret to juicy apple lies in moisture and without it the orchards were frozen under dry and bright sun.
"Today, these worries are over as it is after many years we are witnessing such heavy snow. The snow has forced us to stay inside our homes, but that is worth it for our future," he told ETV Bharat.
An independent forecaster, Faizan Arif, described the intensity of the snow as rare, saying a mere 15 hours caused an aggressive snowstorm that resulted in the accumulation of over 5 feet in mountainous regions.
In the remote village of Karnah, alongside the Line of Control in Kupwara, Arif highlighted a historic moment as snow accumulation crossed 2 inches, marking the first such event since 2005.
"Even one inch of snowfall is considered rare here," he observed, pointing out that the storm extended its reach across Budgam, Pulwama, and Baramulla.
According to Arif, the system was a "dynamically strong" western disturbance where cold air clashed violently with the warm air that had settled over the Valley during the dry spell.
However, it came amid the fierce winds smashing structures and infrastructure in the region. In Srinagar and Pulwama, where the impact of the winds was more, locals said they stayed awake as the night was marked by the sound of snapping of rooftops and electricity poles by strong winds.
Chief Engineer Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited Nisar Ahmad said that the power consumption had reduced to a mere 100 megawatt against the 1650 MW due to damage to the electricity infrastructure.
"Structures like rooftops damaged a number of electric poles and cables. We will be able to restore 70 per cent of power that is nearly 1100 megawatts out of the total 1650 MW tonight. The rest can be done tomorrow as it is a very challenging and tough task," he said.
In Srinagar, many houses were damaged and rendered unlivable due to the risk with many blaming the administration for not reaching them so far.
"Around 11 PM, the rooftop of our house was blown off. But despite many requests, none from administration removed the structure till now. It is dangerous," said a house owner at Srinagar’s Karan Nagar.
The speedy winds gusting up to 150 kilometers per hour was caused by a rare atmospheric clash of cold western disturbances hitting trapped warm air, said independent forecaster Faizan Arif.
While the younger generation took to social media to share their precious moments of snow-clad places, the older generation saw it through a sombre lens. In the remote village of Tangdhar alongside the Line of Control, Abdul Rahim saw the shadow of the past in snow.
Recalling his childhood when his village was draped in eight feet of snow corresponding to one feet now, the village head said dozens of villages were snowbound for almost six months, and they would stock the essentials for months to survive winters.
"But now, roads are open and fresh vegetables are available daily. Today's major snowstorm is a reminder of the changing climate," he said. “A mere foot is enough to cause panic because we have damaged the environment that sustained us," he added.
However, it disrupted the travel plans of many people particularly, who were flying to Saudi Arabia for a pilgrimage as all 30 flights for the day were cancelled at the Srinagar Airport in the face of snow accumulation.
"It is a blessing, and we are happy. But it cancelled our journey as we were readying for Umrah for the last six months," said Mehmooda, an intending pilgrim.
Srinagar Airport Director Javed Anjum said they are clearing the runway and would resume flight operations tomorrow, subject to clear weather.
Director Meteorological Centre Srinagar Mukhtar Ahmad said that weather will remain dry from tomorrow as the intensity of the western disturbance has now reduced.
"From January 26-25, we will have another snow spell, and there are chances of heavy to moderate snow again," he added.
Meanwhile, after a prolonged dry spell, Jammu finally received rain, but gusty winds and heavy rainfall put life out of gear in the district. Since Thursday night power supply in Jammu remained affected as the power infrastructure was damaged across. In all the hilly districts of the Jammu region, power supply continues to remain affected and normal life has been affected.
The Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been shut for vehicular movement, and no Kashmir-bound vehicle is being allowed to move beyond Nagrota, due to which hundreds of vehicles are stranded in different parts of Jammu.
Senior Divisional Commercial Manager of Jammu Railway Division, Uchit Singhal, told ETV Bharat that there is a delay in train operations, but no train has been cancelled. "The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat is also running despite snow," he added.
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