Watch: Video of fresh snowfall gracing Jammu and Kashmir is a sight to behold

Jammu and Kashmir and parts of Himachal Pradesh received fresh snowfall over the last 24 hours. The mountanious terrain is replete with white snow, a view tourists throng to witness every year . But the snowfall has rendered several roads inaccessible. On the Srinagar-Leh highway,  snow-clearance machines have been deployed. Videos of vehicles busy clearing the roads are doing rounds on social media. 

Himachal Pradesh's Rohtang has also received fresh snowfall, with hills covered in a white layer of snow. Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar recently witnessed the coldest night of the season so far, a temperature of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, according to the Indian Metrological Department (IMD).

The IMD has predicted rain and snowfall in Kashmir on New Year's Eve. 

IMD's Shimla unit has issued a "bad weather condition" alert for Himachal Pradesh. Tourists in several parts of Himachal Pradesh are stranded and police have initiated rescue operations. 

Trekking activities above 3,000 meters in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra have been banned due to bad weather. The ban is in effect from Friday, December 30. District authorities have also imposed a ban on low-altitude trekking routes. The trekking restriction order was issued Thursday, December 29. 

Rohtang too has received fresh snowfall, with hills covered under a white layer of snow.

The directives against trekking do not apply to the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF), State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF), Mcledoganj Mountaineering Center's search-and-rescue squad, or the police. 

Higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Saturday, December 11, despite the fact that the minimum temperature rose and remained above freezing in most places across the Valley, according to officials.

Tourist areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir typically see a wave of tourists ahead of the New Year. While tourists are cheerful over the snowfall, many cars in Himachal's higher terrains got stuck and had to be rescued.

Around 400 vehicles got stuck at the South Portal of the Rohtang Tunnel near Himachal Pradesh's Manali and Lahaul Spiti. They were rescued Thursday, said SDM Abhishek Thakur said. A rescue operation is still underway at South Portal. 

Kangra deputy commissioner Nipun Jindal has called on the district tourism officer to warn visitors staying in Kangra about the curbs imposed on trekking. Jindal said the curbs are being imposed because of the weather.