Rains and snow show their presence again in Kashmir and Jammu

By: Javaid Malik MK

Srinagar

After the recent spell of light rains and snow, on Thursday Kashmir valley higher reaches witnessed a snowfall while as the rains lashed in the plains at many places including in Jammu.

Reports said that in the upper reaches of Kashmir including in the ski resort of Gulmarg a fresh snowfall is being witnessed and there is a lot of snow already in the Gulmarg area.

It would have been a real respite for the tourism industry in the present circumstances but the tourists are very thin in Kashmir valley due to the latest wave of Omicron variant of covid-19.

Due to this fresh wave the footfall of the tourists is very low to Kashmir valley and the snow clag areas like Gulmarg and Pahalgam only witnessed cancellation of bookings amid the spike in covid cases.

A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar received 2.9mm rainfall in last 24 hours till 0830 hours today while the summer capital of the J&K recorded a low of 2.2°C against last night’s 2.7°C.

Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Gulmarg had about 8cms of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 5.0°C against minus 6.0°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was 2.7°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 4cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 0.6°C against minus 1.9°C last night, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 2mm of rainfall and recorded a low of 0.7°C against 1.3°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, also had 1.6mm of rain during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.1°C against 0.2°C on the previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir received 3.4mm of rainfall during the time while as it recorded a low of 1.2°C , same as on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu, received5.1mm of rains and recorded a low of 8.5°C against previous night’s 9.1°C which is 1.4°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 1.4°C, Katra 7.5°C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of 1.6°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 9.0°C against last night’s minus 11.4°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 15.0°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 15.9°C against last night’s minus 19.2°C, official said.

The MeT offices has forecast fresh spell of light rains and snow on weekend but ruled out any major wet weather by the end of this month.

“A spell of light rain/snow is likely (60% chance) during January 22-23rd. Thereafter, mainly dry weather is expected from January 24 onwards till ending January,” the official added.

With GNS inputs