Srinagar, Jan 23 : As Jammu and Kashmir awaits snowfall and rains amid forecast by meteorological department, the minimum temperature fell below freezing point in the valley on Monday, officials said.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against last night’s 1.0°C. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was 1.1°C below normal for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against 0.2°C on the previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 4.7°C against minus 6.3°C on the previous night and it was 2.8°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.7°C against minus 1.9°C on the previous night and it was 0.9°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 9.6°C against minus 6.8°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C below 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 2.9°C against minus 0.5°C on the previous night and it was normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu recorded a low of 6.5°C against 7.1°C on the previous night. It was 0.5°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 2.4°C (above normal by 2.7°C), Batote 2.1°C (below normal by 0.7°C), Katra 6.2°C (0.2°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 2.0°C (3.3°C above normal). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 12.6°C and minus 16.6°C respectively, the official said. 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. The MeT department has forecast “isolated” light rain and snow over Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
“Widespread moderate snow/(rain in Jammu) & moderate to heavy snow over middle and higher reaches of J&K very likely from evening of January 24th to 25th,” he said, adding, “On January 26-28th, weather is expected to be partly to generally cloudy with light snow/rain at isolated places.” From January 29-30th, MeT forecast widespread moderate to heavy rain and snow.
He said that in last 24 hours till 0830 hours Srinagar received 2.6cm of snowfall. Reports said that snowfall was also received from some upper reaches in the Valley.
