Srinagar, Jan 12 : The minimum temperatures dropped below sub-zero level in Kashmir Valley on Thursday as higher reaches received snowfall and rains lashed plains A meteorological department official here told that Gulmarg received 19cms of snowfall in the 24 hours till 0830 hours today and Pahalgam 1 cm. He said rain lashed plains and in the 24 hours, Srinagar received 2.8mm, Qazigund 9.8mm, Kupwara 11.3mm Kokernag 7mm, Jammu 1.8mm, Banihal 24.5mm, Katra 1.8mm and Bhaderwah 15.2mm. Meanwhile, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against last night’s 3.5°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 1.9°C above normal for the summer capital, he said. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against 1.6°C and it was 2.7°C above normal for the gateway town. Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 1.7°C against minus 0.3°C on the previous night and it was 5.4°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 2.8°C against 0.7°C on the previous night, he said. It was 0.8°C above normal for the place. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.5°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 2.4°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 town, the mercury settled at minus 0.4°C against 1.5°C on the previous nightand it was 2.5°C above normal in the north Kashmir area, he said. Jammu recorded a low of 6.6°C against 8.0°C on the previous night. It was 0.4°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 2.3°C (above normal by 2.4°C), Batote 1.9°C (above normal by 0.3°C), Katra 9.1°C (3.2°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 1.0°C (2.1°C above normal).
In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 9.6°C and minus 11.6°C respectively, the official said. The MeT office has forecast fairly widespread light rain/snow over Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours and dry mainly weather from January 14. 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.
