Western disturbances batter J&K and Ladakh with heavy rain, snow; Travel alerts issued

Severe and unpredictable weather conditions persist across Jammu and Kashmir, with heavy rainfall and snowfall impacting the entire region. Authorities have issued a travel advisory urging both locals and tourists to refrain from non-essential travel.

A sudden shift in weather patterns across Kashmir and Leh—triggered by a series of Western Disturbances—has disrupted normal public life. For the past 24 hours, continuous rainfall in the plains and snowfall in the mountainous regions have persisted; according to forecasts, these weather conditions are expected to continue for the next 24 hours.

While this has caused inconvenience to the public, it has also heightened concerns among farmers. The Meteorological Department has issued warnings regarding potential avalanches and landslides, prompting the administration to issue alerts across all districts.

Severe and unpredictable weather conditions persist across Jammu and Kashmir, with heavy rainfall and snowfall impacting the entire region. Authorities have issued a travel advisory urging both locals and tourists to refrain from non-essential travel. Many roads have become waterlogged and slippery, while fresh snowfall in higher altitudes has necessitated the closure of several routes.

This erratic weather pattern is expected to continue until April 10. There is a high probability of heavy rainfall in the plains (with an 83% chance in Srinagar), while higher altitudes may experience fresh snowfall. Some areas also face the possibility of strong winds gusting up to 40–50 km/h, accompanied by hailstorms.

A second, more intense spell of adverse weather is anticipated, which could once again bring light to moderate rainfall and snowfall to various parts of the region. Conditions are expected to normalize thereafter, although a brief and mild spell of light rain in the plains—or snowfall in the higher altitudes—remains a possibility in certain locations.

Along the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44)—particularly in the Ramban sector—the risk of rockfalls and landslides remains extremely high. High-altitude mountain passes—including Zojila, Sinthan Top, Mughal Road, and Razdan Pass—have accumulated heavy snow, necessitating their temporary closure. Officials have issued a warning for the higher reaches of districts such as Kulgam, Kupwara, Ganderbal, and Anantnag, where the probability of snowfall is highest (up to 30%).

The IMD centers in Srinagar and Leh have forecast that heavy rain and snowfall are expected to continue across Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, as two active Western Disturbances are set to impact the region until April 10, 2026. Concurrently, officials have issued a travel advisory, urging both residents and tourists to adhere to it. Furthermore, temperatures are expected to witness a gradual decline of 3–5 degrees Celsius starting today and continuing through April 7–10.

The IMD has also advised farmers to suspend all agricultural activities—such as spraying, sowing, and fertilizer application, during this active spell of rainfall to prevent potential damage to crops.