Srinagar, Jan 22 : Weatherman on Sunday forecast snow and rain in Jammu and Kashmir during three days even as mercury increased at most places barring Pahalgam.
A meteorological department official here told that while light to moderate snow and rain was expected during next 24 hours, moderate snow (rain in Jammu) and moderate to heavy snow over middle and higher reaches(60% chance) was expected in J&K from January 24-25. On January 26, he said, light rain in Jammu region and light snow in Kashmir (60% chance) was expected.
“Overall, weather is very likely to remain erratic with cloudy, intermittent rain and snow till January 29 in whole J&K,” he added. He said that parts of the Valley also received snowfall in last 24 hours till 0830 hours with Srinagar receiving 0.6mm (rain), Qazigund 5cm, Pahalgam 7.3cm, Kokernag 1.5cm and Gulmarg 4.0cm. He said Srinagar received 0.6mm of rain, Batote 3.0mm, and Bhaderwah 2.6mm of rainfall during the time. Regarding temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 1.0°C against last night’s 0.2°C. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was 3.3°C above normal for the summer capital, he said. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.1°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 6.3°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.1°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.9°C against minus 3.9°C on the previous night and it was 1.5°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.8°C against minus 8.4°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°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 minus 2.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.4°C above normal in the north Kashmir area. Jammu recorded a low of 7.1°C against 6.1°C on the previous night. It was 0.1°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 1.0°C (above normal by 1.3°C), Batote 0.7°C (below normal by 1.7°C), Katra 7.6°C (1.6°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 1.4°C (2.7°C above normal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 15.0°C and minus 13.7°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.
