Bandipora, Oct 6: The first signs of winter have gripped Gurez Valley in north Kashmir a bit earlier this season.

With light snowfall coupled with rain, residents have lit their traditional wood fireplaces to keep warm as temperatures have dipped across the region.

“The mountain tops are covered in snow, and rain is lashing the valley. It is too cold, everyone is draped in heavy woolens,” said Abdul Raheem Lone of Gurez.

“Even Bukharis (wood fireplaces) have been lit. Families are huddled around the Bukharis,” said Lone, who lives in centrally located Dawar Tehsil.

Early snowfall has brought both beauty and disruption to the remote valley.

Razdan Top, which connects Gurez with the rest of Bandipora district and sits at an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, received around 2 to 3 inches

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