The long-awaited winter rains have finally arrived in North India, bringing a much-needed chill

The long-awaited winter rains have finally arrived in North India, bringing a much-needed chill to the plains and snowfall to the mountains.

Jammu & Kashmir’s famous destinations, Pahalgam and Gulmarg, recorded the season’s lowest temperatures at -7°C and -9°C, respectively.

Himachal Pradesh’s scenic spots like Manali, Shimla, and Kufri experienced their first light snowfalls, while regions such as Lahaul-Spiti saw decent accumulations.

Uttarakhand also enjoyed light rain showers in places like Dehradun and Nainital. Meanwhile, sporadic rains touched the plains, including Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh.

The weather activity is expected to ease over the coming days, with clearer skies likely from December 12.

However, the snowfall will intensify the cold wave across the mountains and plains, with temperatures expected to drop 4°C below normal in cities like Amritsar, Pathankot, and Rohtak. Residents should prepare for colder days ahead, especially in foothill regions