Chill returns: Snowfall in higher reaches, rains lash plains
Srinagar: Many areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Thursday while the plains were lashed by rains, bringing respite from the unusual warm temperature, officials said.
Many areas including the famous tourist destination of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Gurez in Bandipora, Machil in Kupwara, and Sonamarg in Ganderbal, received fresh snowfall, the officials said.
They said snowfall was reported from Zojila axis on the Srinagar-Leh highway as well as in the higher reaches of Srinagar. There were reports of hailstorm from some areas of Pulwama in south Kashmir.
The plain areas in the Kashmir Valley received rainfall, they added.
The wet weather spell brought down the temperature across the valley, bringing respite from the unusual warm temperatures prevalent there, the officials said.
The MeT office has said the weather will remain cloudy, with occasional rain, thunderstorm, gusty winds, and hailstorm at isolated places of the valley till Friday.
There is possibility of snowfall over the higher reaches as well.
Meanwhile, MeT official here said that Srinagar received 6.9 mm of rain in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours and recorded a low of 10.0°C against 9.6°C on the previous night. The temperature, he said, was 1.1°C above normal during this time of the year for the summer capital.
Qazigund received 7.2 mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 8.2°C against 6.5°C on the previous night. The temperature was above normal by 0.7°C for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had 0.4 mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of 8.0°C against 6.5°C on the previous night. It was 0.4°C above normal during this time of the season for the place, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 0.1 mm of rain and recorded a low of 8.6°C against 3.6°C last night. The temperature was 4.6°C above normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg received the highest rainfall of 24.8mm of rain and recorded a low of 2.0°C against 2.5°C on the previous night, the official said. While 2.3°C is normal for the world famous skiing resort during this time of the season, the official said that the temperature was 0.3°C below normal for the place in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir received 17.8 mm of rain in the 24 hours and recorded a low of 8.4°C against 9.5°C on the previous night. The temperature was 0.8°C above normal for the district, the official told Global News Service.
Rains eluded Jammu and it recorded a low of 25.0°C against 23.4°C on the previous night, the official said. The temperature was 4.0°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 11.2°C, Batote 15.1°C while Bhaderwah received 0.4mm of rain and had a minimum of 11.5°C, the official said. (with inputs from PTI)
