Mussoorie: The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) on Wednesday issued an orange alert warning of a medium-level avalanche risk in high-altitude regions of the state for the next 24 hours, following heavy overnight rain and snowfall that disrupted road connectivity, including the Gangotri and Yamunotri highways.
The alert, effective from 5.30 pm on Wednesday to 5.30 pm on Thursday, applies to areas located above 2,800 metres in Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag districts. Vulnerable locations identified by the authority include Purola, Barkot, Gangotri, Kedarnath, Sonprayag and surrounding areas, where residents and travellers have been advised to exercise extreme caution due to the possibility of snow slides.
In Uttarkashi district, the Gangotri Highway was closed after heavy snowfall overnight. Disaster management teams, along with the Border Roads Organisation, later cleared the route. Uttarkashi district disaster management officer Shardul Gusain said the highway has been reopened for traffic up to Sukki Top, while only vehicles fitted with snow chains are being allowed beyond that point towards Gangotri.
Similarly, snow clearance operations were carried out on the Yamunotri Highway up to Jan Ki Chatti, restoring traffic movement on the route.
According to the Defence Geo-Informatics Research Establishment (DGRE), Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts have been placed under the orange category (Category-3) alert, indicating deep and unstable snow accumulation with a high likelihood of natural avalanches that could reach valley floors. Pithoragarh has been kept under the yellow category (Category-2), suggesting unstable snow on some slopes with a chance of small avalanches, while Bageshwar falls under the green category (Category-1), where conditions are largely stable but localised instability due to human activity cannot be ruled out.
Secretary of the disaster management and rehabilitation department Vinod Kumar Suman directed district magistrates to maintain constant surveillance in sensitive and avalanche-prone areas. Gusain said all concerned departments have been instructed to remain on high alert in view of warnings issued by the USDMA and the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The state recorded widespread rainfall over the past 24 hours till 8.30 am on Wednesday, receiving 20.4 mm of rain—about 1,348 per cent above the daily normal of 1.4 mm. Bageshwar recorded the highest rainfall at 36.2 mm, followed by Nainital at 32.4 mm and Udham Singh Nagar at 19.1 mm. Dehradun received 20.3 mm, while Haridwar recorded 10.1 mm.
Snowfall was reported in higher-altitude areas, with Shama and Munsiyari receiving 5 cm each, Jan Ki Chatti and Surkanda Ji 3.5 cm, Mukteshwar 1.5 cm, and traces in Kuthnaur. The combined impact of rain and snowfall led to a noticeable drop in temperatures across the state.
Isolated thunderstorms, hailstorms and severe cold conditions were also reported from several areas, including Dehradun, Mussoorie, Tehri, Pantnagar, Haridwar, Mukteshwar and Jolly Grant. The highest maximum temperature of 25.1°C was recorded in Mohkampur in Dehradun district, while Pantnagar reported the lowest minimum temperature at 4.8°C.
IMD Dehradun Centre Director C.S. Tomar said light to moderate rain and snowfall are likely at a few places in the hilly districts during the week. He added that shallow to moderate fog may occur in valleys, and minimum temperatures are expected to dip by 3 to 5°C in the plains and 1 to 2°C in the hills over the next two days, though no cold wave warning has been issued.
