Srinagar, Jan 30 : Kashmir Valley including Srinagar has been covered in a blanket of snow on Monday and the weatherman has forecast more in next 12 hours and gradual decrease from tonight.
A meteorological department official here told GNS widespread moderate to heavy snowfall has been reported in Kashmir and hilly areas of Jammu. Also moderate rain with thunderstorms were reported at most places of Jammu.
โSnowfall and rain is very likely to continue for the next 12 hours. Expect gradual decrease in precipitation from later tonight,โ he said.
On January 31, he said, cloudy weather with light snow and rain was expected at isolated to scattered places.
Meanwhile, he said, in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours, Srinagar received 12.5 cms of snow, Qazigund 13.0cm, Pahalgam 22.1cm, Kupwara 4.5cm, Kokernag 8.5cm, Gulmarg 30.5cm (above 1 foot), Banihal 0.4 and Bhaderwah 2.0cm.
Regarding temperature, he said that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.2ยฐC against minus 2.4ยฐC on the previous night. Todayโs minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 0.8ยฐC for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.1ยฐC against minus 2.8ยฐC on the previous night and it was 2.5ยฐC below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.4ยฐC against minus 5.6ยฐC on the previous night and it was 4.7ยฐC above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmirโs Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.8ยฐC against minus 2.7ยฐC on the previous night and it was 1.8ยฐC above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.6ยฐC against minus 7.2ยฐC on the previous night and it was 2.9ยฐC above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmirโs Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at minus 0.4ยฐC against minus 1.0ยฐC on the previous night and it was above 2.1ยฐC below normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu received 8.9mm of rain during the 24 hours and recorded a low of 10.4ยฐC against 7.6ยฐC on the previous night. It was 1.7ยฐC above normal for J&Kโs winter capital, he said.
Banihal received 25.5mm of rain and recorded a low of 0.2ยฐC (above normal by 0.4ยฐC), Batote received 43.6mm and recorded a low of 1.2ยฐC (below normal by 0.5ยฐC), Katra received 17.6mm of rain and recorded a low of 9.0ยฐC (2.1ยฐC above normal) while Bhadarwah received 34.8mm of rain during the time and recorded minimum temperature of minus 0.6ยฐC (0.2ยฐC below normal).
Ladakhโs Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 0.6ยฐC and minus 6.8ยฐC respectively, the official said.
While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 has ended, a 20-day-long period called โChillai-Khurdโ has started. It will be followed by a 10-day-long period โChillai-Bachhaโ (baby cold) which is from February 20 toย Marchย 1.ย (GNS)
