At Minus 12.0°C, Gulmarg Coldest Place In Kashmir; Fresh Snowfall In Pahalgam
Srinagar, Feb 4 : Barring Srinagar and Qazigund, the minimum temperature stayed below freezing point in Kashmir Valley with the famous tourist resort of Gulmarg recording a low of minus 12.0°C on Friday, officials said.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that Gulmarg had 1.6mm of rainfall in 24 hours till 0830 hours today even as it recorded a low of minus 12.0°C against minus 6.0°C on the previous night, he said. The temperature was 4.4°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, had 4.8mm of rain while it recorded a low of 1.6°C against last night’s 0.6°C, he said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 6mm of rain during the time while it recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 2.1°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded 5.5 cms of snowfall and had a low of minus 1.1°C against minus 1.0°C on the previous night, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 11.1cms of snowfall while it recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 1.7°C on the last night, he said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir had traces of rain or snowfall during the time while as it recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against 0.4°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 7.0°C against previous night’s 10.0°C. The temperature was 1.4°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 0.0°C, Katra had a minimum of 7.0°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of 0.0°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 13.4°C against last night’s minus 11°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 14.0°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 9.3°C against last night’s minus 11.4°C, official said.
The weatherman has forecast “erratic weather” with occasional snowfall at scattered places till February 8
For the next 24 hours, light rain or snowfall has been forecast at scattered places.
“Light rain and snow is also most likely at scattered places during February 6 to 7,” he said, adding, “Overall, weather likely to remain (erratic) partly to generally cloudy with occasional light snowfall at scattered places till February 8.” (GNS)