Western Disturbances bring fresh snowfall in higher reaches; push up temperature
Srinagar: A few areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Friday, even as the minimum temperature rose and stayed above the freezing point at most places in the valley, officials said.
The tourist resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Sonamarg in central Kashmir received fresh snowfall, the officials said.
They said there are reports of fresh snowfall in other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley and Ladakh Union Territory as well.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature across the valley, except in Gulmarg, stayed above the freezing point owing to a cloud cover, the officials said.
A meteorological department official said that Gulmarg received 0.6 cm of snowfall and Leh 0.5 cm. There are reports of snowfall from Sonamarg and some other upper reaches of the Valley as well.
The MeT official said that Pahalgam received 2.0 mm of rainfall while Kokernag had traces of it till 0830 hours.
Meanwhile, there was a rise in minimum temperature amid cloud cover last night. The MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a minimum of 1.0°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night.
While there was also mist this morning, the MeT official said today’s temperature was 1.6°C above the normal for this time of the year in Srinagar.
Qazigund recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.0°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 0.7°C against season’s minus 3.6°C on previous night and it was 3.9°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, he said.
Kokernag recorded a low of 1.1°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 1.8°C above normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 3.0°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 0.7°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at 1.0°C against minus 2.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 2.8°C above normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 12.7°C against 7.6°C on the previous night. It was 2.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 4.8°C (above normal by 2.7°C), Batote 4.4°C (0.4°C above normal), Katra 11.0°C (2.4°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 4.5°C (3.2°C above normal).
Ladakh, Leh recorded minus 4.8°C, Kargil minus 5.6°C and Drass, the world’s second coldest place after Siberia, recorded a low of 5.6°C, the official said.
“Intermittent light to moderate rain at many places of Jammu and plains of Kashmir is expected on December 09-10. Light snow (1-2 inches) likely (50 percent chance) in plains of Kashmir during 9th Night-10th forenoon whereas higher reaches may receive 9-10 inches of snow,” the official said.
While there is no forecast of any major snow during this spell, the MeT official said that there may be temporary disruption in surface transportation over Sinthan Top, Mughal Road, Razdan pass, Bandipora-Gurez, Zojila during December 9 -10th.
“A feeble WD is also expected to hit J&K on the night of December 12 and 13. There is a possibility of snowfall over higher reaches under its influence in Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal,” he said. Dry weather is expected thereafter till November 18, he said.
