Rains lashed plains in Kashmir while upper reaches including Gulmarg received snowfall, officials said on Saturday.
News agency while quoting a local meteorological department official, reported that Srinagar received 1.6mm rainfall in the last 24 hours till 08:30 hours today and recorded a low of 2.3°C against last night’s 2.8°C.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg had about 12cms of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 6.5°C against minus 7.5°C on 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.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 3.5cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 2.4°C same as on the last night, he said.
Across the tunnel, Jammu received 1.4mm of rains and recorded a low of 10.1°C against previous night’s 10.6°C which is 3.1°C above normal during this time of the year.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 11.4°C against last night’s minus 12.0°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 15.0°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 11.9°C against last night’s minus 21.4°C, officials said.
Weatherman has said that under the influence of a fresh western disturbance, widespread rain/snow is most likely to occur in J&K during 22nd and 23rd January.
He said the system will most likely be concentrated over Jammu Division, Pir Panjal Range and south Kashmir.
There may be temporarily disruption in the surface and air transportation during the said period.