Weather conditions remain overcast in Kashmir
Srinagar: Night temperatures at most places in Kashmir stayed above the freezing point owing to overcast condition with Gulmarg and Kokernag being the two weather stations where the mercury stayed below zero, officials said on Saturday.
Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir was the coldest recorded place in the Valley with a minimum temperature of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius followed by Kokernag in south Kashmir which recorded a low of minus 0.3 degrees Celsius, they said.
All the remaining weather stations, including Pahalgam, recorded minimum temperature above zero degree Celsius. Bandipora, at 4.7 degrees Celsius, was the warmest place in the valley on Friday night.
Wet weather is forecast in the Kashmir Valley over the next few days with a possibility of snow in higher reaches owing to a western disturbance affecting the local weather system.
Meanwhile, Drass belt of the Union territory of Ladakh became the coldest place in the region on Friday, recording a minimum temperature of minus 11.8 degrees Celsius, Meteorological department officials said here.
The weather remained cold in all the three regions of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh, they said.
Higher reaches of Kashmir witnessed fresh snowfall while plains received light rains. Night temperatures plummeted at most places in the region, with Srinagar recording a minimum of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
A western disturbance affected the weather system in Kashmir, bringing about snowfall in higher reaches of the valley while light rains took place in the plains later on Friday evening, they added.
“Two more western disturbances are expected to affect the weather in Kashmir over the next seven to 10 days. Light rain or snow is expected at many parts tomorrow (Saturday),” a Met department official said in Srinagar.
He said all weather stations in Kashmir, except Kokernag and Bandipora, registered subzero temperatures Thursday night, with Pahalgam recording a low of minus 2.5 degrees Celsius,.
Met officials in Jammu said the minimum temperature in the winter capital settled at 11.2 degrees Celsius, 1.2 notches above the season’s average.
The minimum and maximum temperatures in Drass were recorded at minus 11.8 degrees Celsius and minus 1.1 degrees Celsius respectively. Leh recorded a low of minus 8.7 degrees Celsius, the weather office here said.
It said the minimum temperature in Gulmargh and Kupwara township of north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.2 and minus 1.4 degrees Celsius respectively.
Katra, which serves as the base camp for pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district of Jammu region, recorded 10.2 degrees Celsius, a Met official said, adding that Bhadarwah township of Doda district was, however, the coldest place in the region with a minimum recorded temperature of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, followed by Banihal at minus 2.1 degrees temperature. (PTI)
