Possibility of snowfall rises after temp increases across Kashmir
Srinagar: There was some respite from the intense cold conditions in Kashmir as the minimum temperature improved slightly even as the Valley braces up for a possible wet weather spell for a few days from Saturday, officials said on Friday.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius on Thursday night against the season’s lowest of minus 6.4 degrees the night before, the officials said.
Qazigund, the gateway to the Valley, registered a minimum of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, a frontier district, recorded a minimum of minus 5.6 degrees.
Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.3 degrees, the officials said.
The tourist resort town of Pahalgam in Anantnag district, which also serves as a base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, registered a low of minus 8.6 degrees Celsius — up from minus 9.2 degrees.
The minimum temperature in Gulmarg, the famous ski resort town in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a temperature of minus 5 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
The Met office has said the weather was likely to remain cloudy but mainly dry on Friday. It, however, forecast a possibility of light snow over scattered places towards the night with a 70 per cent chance of snowfall at many places over the next few days from Saturday.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chilla-i-Kalan, the 40-day harshest weather period when the chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ begins on December 21 and ends on January 30.
The cold wave continues even after that with a 20-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold) following it.
Notably, the MeT department here said that two back-to-back Western Disturbances are mostly likely affecting Jammu and Kashmir from January 7 evening, forecasting light to moderate snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir for nearly seven days from Saturday onwards.
“Two back to back Western Disturbances (are) most likely to affect J&K and adjoining from 7th January (evening),” a meteorological department official here said, adding, “Under The influence of the 1st WD 7th (evening) to 9th January(afternoon), weather is likely to be cloudy with possibility of light snow over higher reaches during 7th night and light rain/snow over plains of J&K and light to moderate snow in middle and higher reaches during January 8th/9th.” From January 9th (afternoon) to 11th January (afternoon), he said, weather is likely to be cloudy with possibility of light snow over isolated higher reaches of Kashmir.
“Under the influence of the 2nd WD from January 11th (afternoon) to 13th January(afternoon), the weather is expected to be cloudy with possibility of light rain/snow over plains of Jammu and Kashmir and light to moderate snow over middle and higher reaches during 12/13 January.”
He advised Travellers and transporters to plan their journey accordingly especially over Sonamarg-Zojila-Gumni axis, Razdan pass, Sinthan pass, Sadhna pass, Mughal Road etc.
“There is going to be an improvement in minimum (night) temperature and dip in maximum (day) temperature.”
Meanwhile, severe cold conditions continued in Kashmir Valley even as there was a slight rise in the minimum temperature on Friday. (with inputs from PTI)
KV News
