Srinagar, Feb 23 : The minimum temperature dropped on Thursday below normal in twin capitals and Pahalgam even as the weather department forecast mainly clear to partly cloudy weather at most places in the next few days in Jammu and Kashmir. A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of 0.6°C against the previous night’s 3.7°C. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was ‘below’ normal by 0.3°C for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 0.0°C against minus 0.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.1°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 4.4°C against minus 3.7°C on the previous night and it was 0.4°C ‘below’ normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of 2.1°C against 1.2°C on the previous night and it was 2.8°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 3.8°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night and it was 2.9°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 0.3°C against 0.6°C on the previous night and it was 0.6°C above normal for the north Kashmir area. Jammu recorded a low of 10.1°C against 11.1°C on the previous night. It was 0.5°C ‘below’ normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 6.8°C (above normal by 5.6°C), Batote 6.4°C (above normal by 2.9°C), Katra 10.6°C (2.1°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 2.2°C (1.6°C above normal). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 9.6°C and 12.6°C respectively, the official said. The MeT has forecast mainly clear weather at most places in the next 24 hours. On February 24-25, he said, mainly clear to partly cloudy weather was expected at most places. On February 26, he said, weather was likely to be generally cloudy with possibility of light rain and snow at scattered places. On February 27-28, he said, the weather was likely to be partly cloudy and on March 1-2, he said it is expected to be cloudy with possibility of light rain and snowfall at scattered places. While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 and a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that followed it have ended, Kashmir is under grip of 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which ends on March 1.
