New prediction of snow and rains while the night temperatures drop

By: Musaib Iqbal MK

Srinagar

The MeT department has in a fresh prediction said that there would be light rain and snow in some isolated places of Kashmir in the next 24 hours but the continued clear skies and dry weather have resulted in minus temperatures during the night.

Due to the pleasant weather of sunshine and clear skies, it seems as if spring has come in Kashmir valley with various parks and gardens turning green while people are coming out of their homes to enjoy these sunny days of February.

In the past days of February weather has remained by and large dry while the clear skies have brought back minus temperatures during the nights in most parts of Kashmir valley.

A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against last night’s 0.0°C. The temperature was below 2.0°C than the normal for this time of the year, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of 1.6°C against minus 1.0°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 4.5°C against minus 4.4°C last night, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.3 °C against minus 7.0°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 0.5°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 2.3°C against minus 1.3°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 9.3°C against previous night’s 9.2°C, the official said. The temperature was 1.2°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.8°C, Batote 2.4°C and Bhaderwah 0.7°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 11.6°C against last night minus 10.2°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 16.6°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.8°C against minus 16.5°C on the previous night, official said.

Weatherman has forecast isolated very light rain, snow and thundershowers in the next 24 hours.

The forecast is erratic (generally cloudy and sunshine at times) till February 21 with a possibility of brief spell of light rain and snow 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