Winter made an early appearance in the higher reaches of Kashmir on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as the season’s first snowfall covered parts of Gulmarg and Gurez, while rain lashed several areas of the Kashmir Valley. The weather change brought colder conditions to the mountain areas and gave the region an early winter-like look.The Kashmir season first snowfall was reported mainly from high-altitude areas. Fresh snow was seen in Gulmarg, including the upper reaches around Apharwat Peak and Gondola Phase 2 in Baramulla district. A thin layer of snow covered parts of the mountain landscape.Where did the first snowfall occur?The Gurez snowfall was also reported from high-altitude areas of Bandipora district. Kabul Gali, located at around 4,167 metres, received light to moderate snowfall. The pass connects Tulail Valley in Gurez with the Mushkoh Valley towards the Drass sector of Ladakh.Fresh snow was also reported from Tulail Valley and other higher areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The snowfall remained limited to higher elevations, while lower areas mainly received rain.Related Instagram Post :Season’s First Snowfall Hits GulmargHow much rain did Kashmir receive?While the mountains turned white, widespread Kashmir Valley rain was recorded overnight. According to rainfall data reported by the Kashmir News Observer, Srinagar received 8.2 mm of rain in the previous 24 hours.Other areas also recorded rainfall. Qazigund received 13.4 mm, while Pahalgam recorded 13 mm and Gulmarg received 13.2 mm.Heavy rainfall was also recorded in parts of Jammu division, with Udhampur receiving 117.8 mm and Jammu city recording 112.9 mm.What is the Kashmir weather forecast?The latest Kashmir weather update indicates that rain and thunderstorms were expected across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday. Weather conditions were forecast to improve from Friday, with mainly dry conditions expected across the region.“Fresh snowfall was witnessed at Kabul Gali in north Kashmir’s Gurez Valley on Thursday, while widespread rain lashed Kashmir,” officials said.The early Gulmarg Gurez winter conditions have given Kashmir its first clear sign of the coming colder season, especially across the higher mountain ranges.
