Srinagar, Dec 29 : Amid forecast for intermittent light to moderate snow at scattered places during next 24 hours, minimum temperatures recorded a rise but continued to hover below sub-zero level in Kashmir and Ladakh on Thursday.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.2ยฐC against last nightโs temperature of minus 5.6ยฐC. The temperature was 1.1ยฐC below normal for the summer capital, the official said. Srinagar has so far seen the coldest temperature this season on December 25 when mercury plummeted to minus 5.8ยฐC.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.2ยฐC against minus 5.0ยฐC on the previous night. The temperature was 0.9ยฐC below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 4.5ยฐC against minus 7.4ยฐC on the previous night which was coldest recorded so far this season in the famous tourist resort in south Kashmirโs Anantnag district. The latest minimum temperature was 0.7ยฐC above normal, he said.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.3ยฐC against minus 3.4ยฐC on the previous night, he said. It was 0.4ยฐC above normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.8ยฐC against minus 6.0ยฐC on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.4ยฐC above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmirโs Baramulla district, the official said.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 3.3ยฐC against minus 5.5ยฐC on the previous night in the north Kashmir area, he said. The official said that the low temperature was 0.8ยฐC above normal.
Jammu recorded a low of 6.0ยฐC against 2.7ยฐC on the previous night. It was 1.4ยฐC below normal for J&Kโs winter capital which also remained engulfed in haze this morning, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.2ยฐC (below normal by 0.7ยฐC), Batote 2.1ยฐC (below normal by 0.1ยฐC), Katra 7.6ยฐC (1.0ยฐC below normal) and Bhadarwah 0.6ยฐC (1.2ยฐC above normal).
In Ladakh, Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 12.6ยฐC and 10.8ยฐC respectively, the official said.
Kashmir is under Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 is in its infancy, it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called โChillai-Khurdโ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period โChillai-Bachhaโ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
โThere is possibility (70% chance) of intermittent light to moderate snow at scattered places during December 29 (evening)-30th,โ the MeT official said, adding, โAlthough, there’s no forecast of any major snowfall but even light snowfall and below freezing temperature may lead to temporary disruption of surface transportation on Sonamarg-Zojila, Sinthan Top, Gurez- Bandipora etc. on December 30th.โ (GNS)
