Kashmir welcomed the New Year with fresh snowfall on January 1, 2026. Popular tourist spots like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, and Sonamarg saw snow fall overnight and into Thursday morning. Many visitors enjoyed the winter wonderland. High-altitude areas such as Tulail Valley, Razdan Top, Macchil, Sadhna Top, and Zojila Pass also recorded fresh snowfall, officials said. The meteorological department said a western disturbance was moving away, bringing a chance of light rain or snow in some areas during the day. They added: "There was a possibility of light rain/snow showers in some areas as the trailing part of a prevalent western disturbance moves away by the evening, leading to gradual improvement in weather." On January 2, scattered light rain or snow may occur again. Night temperatures stayed above freezing because of cloud cover, which kept the valley warmer than usual. Experts noted the winter is unusually mild, with temperatures 1.2 to 6.3 degrees Celsius above normal. For example, Srinagar recorded a low of 2.2°C on December 31 night, 4.6°C above average. Gulmarg was coldest at minus 5.5°C, dropping 2.5 degrees from the previous night. In South Kashmir, Pahalgam recorded minus 0.4°C, which is 6.3 degrees warmer than usual, while Qazigund stood at 2°C, five degrees above normal. The region is now in 'Chilla-e-Kalan', a 40-day period of extreme cold when nights usually fall well below freezing. "During this period of extreme weather, the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum as well," officials said. Yet, so far this season, the valley plains have not seen any snowfall. The fresh snow and mild temperatures greet tourists and locals as Kashmir starts 2026 with a scenic winter touch and hopes of clearer skies soon.