Dehradun, Sep 12 (IANS): The high peaks of Badrinath Dham and Hemkund Sahib in Chamoli witnessed the season's first snowfall on Thursday following heavy rainfall that lashed Uttarakhand for the past 24 hours.
The Valley of Flowers, located near the India-China border, was also blanketed in snow after the snowfall began at around 2 p.m.
The sudden drop in temperature has made the weather cold and dry, marking an early onset of winter conditions in September.
The snowfall has left the peaks covered in a thick white layer, with cold winds blowing in the lower regions, further disrupting life in the mountains.
Continuous heavy rain over the last 24 hours has added to the troubles, with people remaining indoors due to the increased chill brought by the retreating monsoon.
Several roads have also been affected by the severe weather.
The Badrinath National Highway is closed in several places, while the Joshimath-Malari-Niti motor road has been blocked by debris and falling stones near Lata.
Nandprayag is also experiencing landslides, which have rendered the National Highway impassable.
Pilgrims and travellers are facing difficulties too, with vehicles stuck in long traffic jams due to frequent road closures. The ongoing Char Dham Yatra has been affected, while the persistent rain has led to reduced movement as people are stepping out of their homes less frequently.
The state's weather department had earlier issued warnings of extremely heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, lightning, and squalls.
Rohit Thapliyal, senior scientist in the regional meteorological centre, said, "Heavy rainfall is expected from September 12, with moderate to heavy rainfall likely in most parts of Uttarakhand until September 14. A red weather alert has been issued for Thursday, as rainfall is predicted to intensify."
He added that districts like Nainital, Champawat, Udham Singh Nagar, Bageshwar, Dehradun, and Pauri, as well as Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Tehri, Chamoli, and Pithoragarh will experience continuous heavy rainfall over the next three days.