Season’s First Snowfall Covers Upper Himalayan Valleys

Winter has made an early appearance in the upper Himalayan regions, with fresh snowfall blanketing parts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand. Popular tourist destinations like Gulmarg, Manali, and Kedarnath received 8 15 cm of snow over the past 24 hours. The snowfall has brought cheer to local businesses anticipating the tourist season but also caused travel delays, with several roads closed due to slippery conditions and avalanche risks. The IMD attributes the early snowfall to a western disturbance moving through the northern hills. Farmers in nearby valleys are concerned about premature frost damaging apple and saffron crops. Authorities have issued advisories for tourists to avoid non essential travel. Meteorologists say this could mark the beginning of a colder than average winter. Rescue teams are on standby, and snow clearance equipment has been deployed in higher altitude zones.