Srinagar: With overnight rains and snowfall at many places including Gulmarg and Pahalgam, night temperature recorded a significant rise at most places in J&K and Ladakh on Sunday.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recorded a low of 0.3°C against previous night’s minus 2.4. While the temperature was 2.1°C above the previous night, it was 2.4°C over normal for this time of the year. The capital city also recorded rainfall of 1.2mm last night.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
The mercury at the world famous resort of Gulmarg settled at minus 6.2°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night, he said. With snowfall of 4.2cms, Gulmarg was the only place recording a drop in the night mercury.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 1.0°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir which had 7cms of snowfall overnight, recorded a low of minus 1.7°C against minus 6.0°C on previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.9°C against minus 3.3°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir, with snowfall of 1.3cms, recorded a minimum of minus 1.6°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a rise in temperature by 1.7°C from the precious night, recording a low of 7.7°C which is 0.4°C above normal for the place during this time of the year, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh received 0.3cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 9.2°C against last night’s minus 13.2°C while automatic Kargil station recorded a minimum of minus 10.2°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 9.2°C against previous night’s 16.8°C, the official said.
The weatherman has said that “heavy snow” was expected at some place in Jammu and Kashmir during January 5 to 6 and that it may affect road and aerial transportation.
“Widespread snow/rain spell of moderate to heavy intensity is most likely during 4-6th January in both J&K and Ladakh with main activity on 5-6th,” the official said.
“Heavy Snow is expected at some places during 5-6th,” he said, adding, “(It) may affect the surface and air transportation.”
“Light snow was expected over higher reaches of Kashmir during January 2-3rd. “Expect colder days and warmer nights from January 2nd onwards,” he added.
