New Delhi: Snowfall across the Himalayan region and widespread rain over the plains pushed north India into a wetter phase of winter on Tuesday, disrupting transport and lowering temperatures, with Delhi logging its rainiest January in four years and Kashmir witnessing heavy snowfall.

In the national capital, intense rain and thunderstorms lashed several areas, taking January’s cumulative rainfall to 24 mm — the highest since 2022. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red alert in the morning, cautioning residents about thunderstorms, strong winds and possible hail.

Kashmir saw fresh snowfall across most areas, forcing the closure of the Jammu–Srinagar National Highway. Officials said National Highway 44 was shut due to snow accumulation near the Navyug tunnel at Qazigund and Banihal. Air traffic was also severely affected, with all 58 scheduled flights at Srinagar International Airport — including arrivals and departures — cancelled as continuous snowfall rendered the runway unsafe.

Rescue operations were carried out in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district after around 60 people, including 40 Rashtriya Rifles personnel, were stranded in snowbound areas, a defence spokesperson said. Rail services between Banihal and Budgam were temporarily suspended due to snow along the tracks but resumed after a few hours.

Most parts of the Kashmir Valley received overnight snowfall under the influence of a western disturbance. While plains including Srinagar recorded light to moderate snow, higher elevations experienced moderate to heavy snowfall, turning tourist destinations such as Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam into snow-covered landscapes.

The IMD said light rain or snow may continue at isolated places on Wednesday.

In Himachal Pradesh, higher reaches are expected to receive heavy snowfall and rain, prompting the weather department to issue an orange alert for Kullu, Chamba, Kinnaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts. Gondla village in Lahaul and Spiti recorded the highest snowfall in the state at 22 cm, while Tabo village reported a minimum temperature of minus 8.9 degrees Celsius, the coldest in Himachal Pradesh.

Uttarakhand also witnessed fresh snowfall in high-altitude regions, marking the second such spell in recent days. Snowfall continued intermittently in Badrinath, Kedarnath and surrounding peaks, while cloudy conditions prevailed in Gangotri and Yamunotri. Plains including Dehradun remained dry.

Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 16.9 degrees Celsius at Safdarjung, 5.2 degrees below normal, while the minimum settled at 8.0 degrees Celsius. An IMD official said, "Although the conditions for a cold day were met, with the maximum temperature dropping 4.5 to 6.4 degrees below normal and the minimum falling below 10 degrees Celsius, the day cannot be classified as a cold day as temperatures are expected to rise again tomorrow. This is the first day of satisfying the criteria."

Rainfall peaked between late morning and early afternoon before easing by evening, while parts of Rajasthan also received light to moderate rain, with hailstorms predicted at isolated locations. Alwar recorded the lowest minimum temperature in the state at 4.5 degrees Celsius. Weather officials said temperatures across north India are expected to rise by 2 to 4 degrees Celsius in the coming days, offering some relief from the cold wave.

PTI