Erratic weather with clouds being predicted in J&K till March 2

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

While the snow and rains have again lashed Kashmir valley, according to the weather prediction, there would be cloudy weather till March 2. The prediction of overcast conditions for more days is likely to bring rains and snow in various parts of Kashmir.

Heavy snowfall in the past few days in the higher reaches especially in the South Kashmir has left a trail of destruction as many areas were plunged to darkens as the electric towers were also uprooted by heavy snow.

Even in Srinagar city, the government is busy restoring electric supply along with other essentials of life as the heavy snowfall left life out of gear and many areas in the city especially the low lying areas were undated in the water.

A meteorological department official said that Srinagar received 4.6mm of rain in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours. The summer capital of J&K recorded a rise of 0.2°C in night temperature with the mercury settling at 1.8°C against last night’s 1.6°C, he said, as per news agency GNS.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 6.5 centimeters of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against 0.6°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, also received 4.0 cms of snowfall and had a low of minus 0.8°C against minus 1.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, received 16 centimeters of fresh snowfall and recorded a low of minus 0.8°C against minus 1.8°C last night, he said.

Gulmarg received 15.2 centimeters of fresh snowfall and recorded a low of minus 7.5°C against minus 5.5°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 1.7°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 had 2 cms of snowfall and recorded a low of0.2°C against 2.2°C on the previous night, the official said.

While ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, and 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ culminated on February 19, Kashmir is presently under the grip of 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Jammu had 21.7mm of rainfall overnight and recorded a low of 8.8°C against 10.4°C on the previous night, the official said. The temperature was 2.8°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded 12 cms of snowfall and had a low of minus 0.4°C, Batote received 5cms of snowfall and recorded a minimum of minus 1.9°C while Bhaderwah witnessed 3.0 cm of snowfall and recorded a low of 0.1°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 6.6°C against last night minus 7.0°C on the previous night. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 7.9°C, against 18.0°C on the previous night, officials said.

The weatherman said widespread light to moderate rain and snow was likely to continue for today. “Weather to be partly to generally cloudy till 2nd March,” a met official said, adding, “No forecast of any significant weather for next 5 days.”

With GNS inputs