Light snowfall in Srinagar, heavy in upper reaches in Kashmir

SRINAGAR:  The summer capital, Srinagar, experienced fresh light snowfall early this morning while the upper reaches had moderate to heavy snowfall, in Kashmir Valley, where chilly weather continues.

Leh and Kargil area of  Ladakh region continued to freeze at minus 13 degree and minus 12.4 degree while Gulmarg, famed ski resort about 55km from here in North Kashmir, remained coldest place in the Valley at minus 12 degree.

A Met Department spokesman said here this afternoon that light rain or snow would occur at isolated places in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.

However, the weather will remain dry during subsequent 48 hours in the state. People in the morning found the roofs and tree-tops turned white in the summer capital, Srinagar, due to which roads have become slippery. People were driving their vehicles in a very low speed due to slippery road conditions.

However, the minimum temperature has witnessed further drop as mercury plunged and settled at minus 2.8 degree, two notches below normal.

The Met spokesman said the sky would be partly cloudy and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 6 degree and minus 4 degree respectively during the next 24 hours in the city.

The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg witnessed a marginal improvement in the night temperature though it was still five degree below normal.

After recording the coldest night of the season so far at minus 12.4 degree yesterday at the ski resort, the night temperature was minus 12 degree.

The night temperature in the world famous health resort of Pahalgam witnessed some improvement in the night temperature. Against 9.2 degree recorded yesterday, the night temperature was minus 6.2 degree, which is about a degree above normal.

Qazigund, the gateway to Kashmir Valley, which recorded 5.2mm of rain and 4cm of snow, witnessed a dip in the night temperature though it was still above normal. Against minus 2 degree recorded yesterday, the night temperature was minus 2.6 degree.

Leh again witnessed a dip in the night temperature as mercury plunged and settled at minus 13 degree, against minus 11.4 degree recorded yesterday.

The border town of Kargil witnessed the coldest night of the season so far after mercury dipped and settled at minus 12.4 degree, against minus 12.2 degree recorded yesterday.

The spokesperson said, skies will mainly remain clear in Leh, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 5 degree and minus 13 degree respectively.

Kupwara in north Kashmir and health resort of Kokernag also witnessed a dip in the night temperature. Against minus 3.6 degree recorded yesterday in Kupwara, the night temperature was minus 5.5 degree while mercury plunged and settled at minus 3.4 degree at Kokernag, against minus 2.8 degree. (AGENCIES)