People in Srinagar and some other parts in Kashmir woke to a thin layer of snow even as the minimum temperature recorded a rise but hovered below sub-zero level in the valley on Thursday.
A meteorological department official was quoted as saying by news agency GNS that Srinagar received 0.5 cm of snowfall, Pahalgam 3.6 cm, Kupwara 1 cm and Gulmarg 3 cm.
He said Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.4°C against last night’s minus 4.3°C. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was 0.7°C above normal for the summer capital, he said.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 7.4°C on the previous night and it was 0.1°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 4.3°C against minus 11.7°C on the previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 4.3°C against minus 6.3°C on the previous night and it was 0.4°C below normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.6°C against minus 11.3°C on the previous night, the official said. Today’s minimum temperature was 0.1°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at minus 2.4°C against minus 6.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.7°C above normal in the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 7.9°C against 4.5°C on the previous night. It was 0.8°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 1.1°C (above normal by 1.3°C), Batote 1.4°C (below normal by 0.4°C), Katra 6.8°C (0.6°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 1.4°C (2.3°C abovenormal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 11.4°C and minus 12.7°C respectively, the official said.
He said there was a possibility of scattered rain and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir, especially Upper Reaches, during the next 24 hours.
“From January 19-21, weather is likely to be cloudy with chances of light rain/snow over isolated to scattered places mainly over higher reaches,” he said, adding, “From 22nd to 24th, there is possibility of light to moderate rain and snow over plains and moderate snow over middle and higher reaches most likely during 23rd/24th January at most places of J&K.”
Kashmir is under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21. It does not mean an end to the winter either. It is 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.
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