Snow, rains back in Kashmir as the dip in temperature visible
By: Wani Parvaiz CK
Srinagar
There is a sharp dip in the temperatures on Tuesday as Kashmir valley witnessed rains and snow as predicted by the weather department. There has been snow going on in the upper reaches of Kashmir valley especially in the ski resort of Gulmarg while Srinagar and other plains have witnessed heavy rains.
Earlier in this month of February there has been dry weather prevailing with people enjoying the weather with day temperatures showing an increase due to the sunshine.
Snowfall is being reported in many parts of North Kashmir including in the upper reaches of Kupwara and Keran. Due to the dip in temperatures, people were seen moving with umbrellas as daily life has been going on despite the bad weather conditions.
People have been coming out in large numbers now to do their daily work as there is a steep dip in the Omicron variant cases of covid.
A meteorological department official here told GNS Gulmarg received about 8 cms of fresh snowfall overnight. He said upper reaches also had a snowfall while rains lashed plains with Srinagar recording 0.6mm of rain, Kupwara 0.4mm while Pahalgam and Konibal received traces of it till 0830 hours. Due to overnight cloud cover, the night temperature settled above freezing point except for Gulmarg and Pahalgam.
Srinagar recorded a rise of 6 degrees Celsius with mercury settling at 3.8°C against last night’s minus 2.2°C in the summer capital of the J&K. The temperature was above 2.9°C than the normal for this time of the year in Srinagar, he said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of 2.2°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of 2.2°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 6.0°C last night, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.0°C against minus 8.0°C on the previous night, he said.
The temperature was 1.7°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of 2.2°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night, the official said.
While ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, and 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ culminated on February 19, Kashmir is presently under the grip of 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Jammu recorded a low of 12.8°C against 8.1°C on the previous night, the official said. The temperature was 2.2°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 4.6°C, Batote 7.3°C and Bhaderwah 5.1°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 8.6°C against last night minus 13.5°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 12.4°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 14.0°C against minus 21.6°C on the previous night, official said.
Weatherman has forecast widespread light to moderate rain and snow, during February 22-23.
“Widespread light to moderate rain/snow, mainly over higher reaches most likely during February 22-23 with main activity on February 22 (night) and February 23,” said the official here, adding, “It may affect highways like Jammu-Srinagar, Sinthan Top, Sadhna Top etc.” After this spell, the official said, there’s no forecast of any major rain or snow for the next 10 days.
With GNS inputs
Pic by Wani Parvaiz CK
Pic by Wani Parvaiz CK
Pic by Wani Parvaiz CK
