Snow has returned to Kashmir, bringing much-needed relief after weeks of dry weather, reducing concerns of a rainfall deficit and a drought and offering a positive outlook for tourism at the fag end of winter.

The Valley received moderate to heavy snowfall overnight, following a prolonged dry spell that saw the precipitation deficit reach an alarming 80 per cent. Kashmir had been experiencing unusually warm temperatures during the day, reminiscent of
summer, while the nights were freezing in January and February.

On Friday, the meteorological department said the current wet spell had brought the rainfall deficit down to 42 per cent. The department said the highest snow depth was registered in Gulmarg at 113cm, followed by Sonamarg at 75cm. The higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora and south Kashmir had snow coatings of 70-90cm.

A thick blanket of snow covered large parts of the Valley on Friday, with Srinagar receiving light snowfall, while the tourist resorts of Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Pahalgam received moderate to high snowfall.

The snow, however, threw the transport network in disarray in parts of the Valley. Flights were delayed, highways shut and train services disrupted. “Landslides, mudslides and shooting stones were reported along the Srinagar-Jammu national highway,” an official said.

A persistent dry spell during the winter had led to fears of a drought. The water level of the Jhelum and some streams had been falling, while the famed Achabal spring had dried up.

But soon after the overnight delight, elated residents flooded social media with pictures of the snowfall. Videos showed tourists enjoying the snow at the city’s Ghanta Ghar and other places.

It has snowed heavily in far-off places such as Wadwan in Kishtwar where people had to clear the snow from the rooftops despite heavy showers.