Over 1-Ft Fresh Snowfall In Gulmarg, Kupwara As Rains Lash Plains In J&K

SRINAGAR: Parts of Kashmir Valley including Gulmarg received fresh snowfall while rains lashed plains in the last 24 hours. The weather has improved and is likely to stay mainly dry for next 24 hours even though there are chances of scattered rains and snow at isolated places.

Quoting a meteorological department official news agency GNS reported that Srinagar received 0.8mm of rain during the 24 hours till 0830 hours today, Qazigund 27.6mm, Kokernag 22.2mm while Pahalgam had 7.4cms of snow, Kupwara 32cm( over 1-ft) and Gulmarg 33 cms(over 1.1-ft). Rains also lashed Jammu region with Jammu city receiving 1.1mm, Banihal 49.1mm, Batote 27.3mm, Katra 3.1mm, Bhaderwah 31.4mm during the time, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 0.7°C against 0.4°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 0.5°C for the summer capital.

Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 1.8°C against minus 0.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.0°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.

Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.3°C against minus 2.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.7°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.6°C, the same as on the previous night and it was 2.1°C above normal for the place, the officials said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.0°C against minus 4.2°C on the previous night and it was 2.2°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 0.5°C against 2.3°C on the previous night and it was 0.7°C above normal for the north Kashmir area.

Jammu recorded a low of 12.8°C against 9.9°C on the previous night. It was 2.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.

Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 2.0°C (above normal by 0.8°C), Batote 2.2°C (below normal by 0.4°C), Katra 10.6°C (2.5°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 2.1°C (1.9°C above normal).

Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 8.0°C and minus 9.2°C respectively, the official said.

While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 has ended, Kashmir is under the grip of a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’. It will be followed by a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.