Gradual improvement in weather in J&K from afternoon: MeT

SRINAGAR: Rain lashed plains while upper reaches amassed fresh snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir since overnight, officials said on Thursday.

A meteorological department official here told that Srinagar recorded 13.8mm of rainfall during the last 24 hours till 0830 hours today.

He said Qazigund received 8.0mm, Pahalgam 13.3mm, Kupwara 13.2mm, Kokernag 10.6mm, Gulmarg 16.2mm and Banihal 5.4mm.

Reports said that Gulmarg, Machil, and other upper reaches including Sithan pass and Margan pass received snowfall.

Regarding minimum temperature, the MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 6.4°C against 5.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.3°C above normal for the summer capital during this time of the year, he said.

Qazigund recorded a low of 7.0°C against 3.2°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.6°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.

In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 3.2°C against 0.6°C on the previous night and it was 1.7°C above normal for the south Kashmir resort, he said.

Kokernag recorded a low of 5.3°C against 3.7°C on the previous night and it was 0.6°C below normal for the place, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night and it was 0.9°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at 4.1°C against 3.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 0.4°C below normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.

Jammu recorded a low of 18.7°C against 16.8°C on the previous night. It was 14°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 8.0°C (above normal by 1.9°C), Batote 9.4°C (0.3°C above normal), Katra 16.4°C (above normal by 2.3°C) and Bhadarwah 8.6°C (above normal by 2.5°C).

The weatherman has forecast light to moderate rain over plains and light snowfall over high reaches at scattered to fairly widespread places of Jammu and Kashmir during next 24 hours.

He said there will be gradual improvement in weather from this afternoon itself. He also reiterated that “there’s no forecast of any major snowfall for the next one week to 10 days in J&K and Ladakh.” (GNS)