By: Muzamil Bhat CK

Srinagar

Cold wave has returned to Kashmir valley as the clouds are hovering over the skies and there is a prediction that the plains will witness rains and the higher reaches a fresh snowfall.

With the cloud cover of the skies, the mercury has dropped and the cold wave has returned in Kashmir bringing people back to their homes as they had come out in the previous sunny days to enjoy pleasant weather.

According to GNS in its weather report on Wednesday it said as follows, the minimum temperature dropped at most places in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday while the weatherman has forecast “fairly widespread light rain, snow and thundershowers over J&K” in next 24 hours.

A meteorological department official here said that Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recorded a low of minus 1.9°C against last night’s 1.8°C.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.8°C against minus 0.3°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of minus 2.6°C, same as recorded on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.1°C against minus 6.2°C on the last night, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.0°C against minus 9.0°C on the previous night, he said. The temperature is 0.4°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.2°C against 0.3°C on the previous night, the official said.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, Kashmir is under the grip of the 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ which would be followed by 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Jammu recorded a low of 7.1°C against previous night’s 7.2°C. The temperature was 1.3°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.1°C, Katra had a minimum of 6.0°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of minus 1.0°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 13.6°C against last night’s minus 12.4°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 18.2°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 22.0°C against last night’s minus 20.2°C, official said.

The weatherman has forecast “fairly widespread light to moderate rain and snow and thundershowers” on February 3.

“Overall, weather is likely to remain partly to generally cloudy (this) week. There’s no forecast of any major weather till 1st week of February.”

With GNS inputs