Snow, rains on Friday announce arrival of winter in Kashmir valley

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

Fresh snowfall in the upper reaches of Kashmir valley and the rains in the plains has not only announced the winter in this month of November but has also brought temperatures down during the day time forcing the people to look for heating arrangement and woolens to withstand the cold.

The snow has already forced the authorities to close two important roads one connecting Shopain with Jammu known as Mughal road and also the Bandipora-Gurez road.

Steady rains in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir on Friday afternoon have created all the conditions of winter for the common people with frequent traffic jams and people looking for winter clothing along with heating arrangements.

Official sources told GNS that around 7 cm of fresh snowfall was recorded along the Bandipora-Gurez road which forced the closure of the thoroughfare for traffic. The suspension of the traffic, the officials told GNS was temporary and would be restored as soon as weather permits.

Reports of snowfall have been also received from Machil, Z-Gali Tangdhar in Kupwara besides upper reaches of Gulmarg.

Meanwhile, the minimum temperature increased at most places in Kashmir Valley on Friday.

A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of 5.6°C against 1.8°C on the previous night.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of 3.2°C against previous night’s 0.6°C, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of 2.2°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of 3.1°C against 1.7°C on the previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of 6.7°C against 0.7°C on the previous night, the official said.

Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 1.0°C against minus 2.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Leh recorded a low of minus 7.6°C against last night’s minus 3.2°C while mercury settled at 3.4°C against previous low of 3.2°C, the official said.

The meteorological department has said that there was no forecast for any major snowfall fow now

While isolated to scattered light rain and thundershowers or snow has been predicted over Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours, the weatherman has forecast mainly dry weather for at least next week.” With GNS inputs