Srinagar: On the 25th day of Chillai-Kalan, Kashmir capital, Srinagar received first major snowfall and ruled out possibility of dry weather by the metrological department on Friday. Also the Jammu-Srinagar highway was closed due to the mud-slides across the mountainous pass.
A meteorological department official said that the light snowfall started at most places including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Budgam, Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag, Kulgam in Kashmir valley as well as Pir Panjal’s Banihal and chenab’s Baderwah this morning.
As per reports, Gulmarg received 6 cm of snowfall in the 24 hours followed by Qazigun 3cms, Pahalgam 3.5 cms and Kupwara 5 cms.
However, the MeT official said that snowfall was likely to stop gradually in plains shortly whereas it may continue over higher reaches for next 5-6 hours.
“No heavy snow is expected in the plains,” he said.
From January 14-18th, he said, mainly dry weather is expected. “From January 19-20th, a fresh WD (Western Disturbance) is likely to affect J&K and adjoining areas.”
Meanwhile, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 1..0°C against last night’s minus 0.2°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 3.1°C above normal for the summer capital, he said.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 0.4°C and it was 3.3°C above normal for the gateway town.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 1.7°C on the previous night and it was 4.7°C above normal for the place, he said. The coldest night recorded this season in the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district was on January 2 when mercury plunged to minus 9.6°C.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said. It was 3.4°C above normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 7.3°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district that saw its coldest night this season on January 2 when minimum temperature plummeted to minus 10.0°C, the official said.
In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 0.7°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night and it was 2.2°C above normal in the north Kashmir area, he said.
Jammu, which received 13mm of rainfall in the 24 hours, recorded a low of 7.5°C against 6.6°C on the previous night. It was 0.5°C above normal. Batote recorded 17mm of rainfall with 0.8°C (below normal by 2.4°C), Katra received 12.8mm and recorded a low of 76°C (1.7°C above normal).
Banihal received 15.2mm of rainfall and recorded a low of 0.2°C (above normal by 0.3°C), Bhadarwah received 7.6mm and recorded minimum of minus 0.4°C (0.7°C above normal).
In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 9.4°C and minus 8.6°C respectively, the official said.
Chillai-Kalan is the 40-day long harsh winter period which starts on December 21 and followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
(GNS)
