Winter-like weather prevails in Kashmir due to snow on heights, rain in plains

SRINAGAR :  Winter-like weather condition prevailed in Kashmir valley, where upper reaches experienced fresh snowfall, resulting in considerable drop in the mercury, forcing people to wear woollen and warm clothes again.
Though a Western Disturbance (WD) is already active, a fresh WD is likely to affect Jammu and Kashmir from May 29 onwards, a Met department spokesman said here this afternoon.
He said light to moderate rain or thundershowers would occur at few places in the valley and Jammu region during the next 24 hours. However, weather will remain dry in Ladakh region.
A fresh WD is likely to affect the state from May 20 onwards, the spokesman added. The upper reaches experienced fresh snowfall in the valley, while plains had light to moderate rain during the past 24 hours, dropping down the mercury.
A report from Gulmarg said Affarwat, the highest skiing point connected by Cable Car, and other heights in the sector received fresh snowfall, resulting in drop in the minimum temperature.
The spokesman said Gulmarg slopes received 14.8 mm rainfall during the night, resulting in considerable drop in the minimum temperature. Against yesterday’s 4 degree, it was 2.6 degree, 3.4 degree below normal.
A famed health resort Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, however, recorded a notch increase in the night temperature, though there was 11.8 mm rainfall till 0830 hrs.     Holy Amarnath cave shrine and its periphery, besides Sheshnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Panjterni on traditioinal Pahalgam yatra route also received fresh snowfall. The annual yatra is scheduled to commence from July 2.
In south Kashmir, Qazigund recorded 9.7 degree minimum temperature, which was a notch below normal, while at Kokernag health resort,  it was nine degrees again, a degree below normal.  At Kupwara a north Kashmir town, the minimum temperature was 7.4 degrees, about three degree below normal after 5.8 mm rainfall during the night.
The mercury witnessed a dip in summer capital, Srinagar due to moderate to heavy rain during the past 24 hours.    The maximum temperature in the city, where people wore warm clothess, was recorded 17.6 degree, more than seven degree below normal yesterday, while the minimum temperature was 10.1 degree, a notch below normal.
Intermittent rain accompanied by cold breeze continued even today in the city, where people are still busy constructing and renovating their houses and shops, damaged during the devastating floods in September last year. The spokesman said sky would be partly cloudy tomorrow and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 24 degrees and 12 degrees respectively.
He said Leh witnessed a drop of about two degrees, while it was up by a notch at border town of Kargil on the national highway, connecting Ladakh region with Kashmir.   At Leh, it was 4 degrees against yesterday’s 5.6 degrees while at Kargil it was 4.7 degrees against yesterday’s 4 degree, he said.
Sky would be partly cloudy at Leh and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 21 degree and 10 degree, respectively during the next 24 hours.
At winter capital Jammu, sky would be partly cloudy and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 38 degree and 23 degree, respectively during the next 24 hours, he added. (AGENCIES)