Srinagar: Light rains lashed plains of Jammu and Kashmir while upper reaches including Gulmarg received fresh snowfall, officials said on Thursday.
A meteorological department official here said Srinagar received 2.9mm rainfall in the last 24 hours whereas Gulmarg received 8 cms of fresh snowfall and recorded a low of minus 5.0°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night, he said.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started on December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachchan.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir received 4cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 1.9°C last night, he said.
Pahalgam| File Photo
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 2mm of rainfall and recorded a low of 0.7°C against 1.3°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, also had 1.6mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.1°C against 0.2°C on the previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir received 3.4mm of rainfall during the time while it recorded a low of 1.2°C, same as on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, received5.1mm of rain and recorded a low of 8.5°C against the previous night’s 9.1°C which is 1.4°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 1.4°C, Katra 7.5°C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of 1.6°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 9.0°C against last night’s minus 11.4°C while mercury at an automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 15.0°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 15.9°C against last night’s minus 19.2°C, officials said.
The MeT offices have forecast a fresh spell of light rains and snow on weekend but ruled out any major wet weather by the end of this month.
“A spell of light rain/snow is likely (60% chance) during January 22-23rd. Thereafter, mainly dry weather is expected from January 24 onwards till ending January,” the official added.
(GNS)
