First Snowfall Blankets J&K, Shimla, Uttarakhand; Disrupts Travel

• Jammu and Kashmir, Shimla, and Uttarakhand received the season's first snowfall on Friday, January 23.
• The fresh snowfall led to the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu national highway and cancellation of all flights from Srinagar.
• Gulmarg recorded over two feet of snow, while Sonamarg and Pahalgam also received significant snowfall.
• Districts like Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora, Anantnag, and Kulgam experienced moderate to heavy snowfall.
• Shimla ended a three-month dry spell with snowfall, and the administration issued a driving advisory.

Why It Matters: Heavy snowfall hit Jammu and Kashmir, Shimla, and Uttarakhand, causing travel disruptions and winter scenes.