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Srinagar, Feb 11 : Snow is continuing to fall in Kashmir Valley including Srinagar and hilly areas of Jammu region on Saturday morning, officials said. Also minimum temperature recorded a drop across J&K with Gulmarg recording a low of minus 8.3°C. “Widespread light to moderate snowfall and rain was expected in Kashmir and hilly areas of Jammu with chances of heavy snowfall over higher reaches during next 24 hours,” a meteorological department official here told GNS. The snow started this morning and when this report was filed, it was continuing. Meanwhile, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 0.5°C against 0.7°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 0.3°C for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 0.0°C against 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 1.0°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 0.3°C on the previous night and it was 2.6°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 0.6°C on the previous night and it was 0.4°C below normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.3°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night and it was 2.1°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 1.0°C against minus 0.5°C on the previous night and it was 0.2°C above normal for the north Kashmir area. Jammu recorded a low of 9.5°C against 12.8°C on the previous night. It was 0.6°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 1.8°C (above normal by 0.6°C), Batote 2.4°C (below normal by 0.2°C), Katra 8.8°C (0.7°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 1.1°C (0.9°C above normal). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 10.4°C and minus 6.7°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.
