Clear skies bring back sub zero night temperatures in many parts of Kashmir

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

With clear skies and bright sunshine during the day time being witnessed in Kashmir valley despite the prediction that there would be erratic weather, it has brought back sub zero night temperatures in many areas.

The weather department has recently said that there would be erratic weather in J&K during the current days and there would be rains and also cloudy weather conditions in many areas.

However, the conditions prevailing in Kashmir valley suggested that there would be clear skies and also bright sunshine during the days.

A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, recorded a low of 0.0°C against last night’s 0.8°C. The temperature was below 1.0°C than the normal for this time of the year, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.8°C against minus 1.0°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of 1.0°C against minus 0.2°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.4°C against minus 4.2°C last night, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.0°C against minus 6.8°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 0.2°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.3°C against minus 0.2°C on the previous night, the official said.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, Kashmir is under the grip of the 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ which would be followed by 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Jammu recorded a low of 9.2°C against previous night’s 9.1°C, the official said. The temperature was 1.3°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.4°C, Batote 2.1°C and Bhaderwah 0.3°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 10.2°C against last night minus 10.4°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 13.8°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.5°C against minus 12.0°C on the previous night, official said.

Weatherman has forecast erratic  (generally cloudy and sunshine at times) till February 21 with a possibility of brief spell of light rain and snow (over higher reaches) at scattered places of J&K on February 16 and on February 18-19. “There’s no forecast of any major rain and snow for the next 10 days,” the official added.

With GNS inputs