SRINAGAR: Despite cloud cover, the night temperature increased in the Kashmir Valley, with Pahalgam and Gulmarg recording -2.4°C and -5.6°C respectively on Wednesday.
According to a meteorological department official, Srinagar registered a minimum temperature of 4.5°C, compared to the previous night’s 1.0°C. Th temperature was 0.5°C below normal for this time of year in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the official added.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 2.0°C against 1.2°C on the previous night and it was 1.6°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 1.3°C on the previous night and it was 1.1°C above normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 1.1°C against minus 0.3°C on the previous night and the temperature was above normal by 1.0°C for the place, the official said.
Kupwara town recorded a low of 1.0°C against 0.4°C on the previous night and it was 1.0°C above normal there, the official said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.6°C against minus 6.4°C on the previous night. The temperature was above normal by 0.2°C for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.
Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 8.1°C and it was below normal by 3.5°C for the winter capital of JK.
Banihal recorded a low of 3.6°C, Batote 3.1°C and Bhaderwah 1.2°C, he said.
MeT also issued an advisory cautioning about the disruption of surface and air transport in the valley.
An active Western disturbance is expected to impact Jammu and Kashmir and surrounding areas from the evening/night of the 29th onwards. This system is likely to bring widespread moderate rain/snow to Jammu and Kashmir from the night of the 29th/early morning of 01 March until the afternoon of 3rd March, with peak activity anticipated on 2nd March.
“The above system is most likely to cause heavy to very heavy rain/snow over Pirpanjal Range of Jammu division and middle & higher reaches of Kashmir Division (Anantnag-Pahalgam, Kulgam, Sinthan Pass, Shupiyan-Pir Ki Gali, Sonamarg-Zojila, Bandipora-Razdan Pass, Gulmarg and Kupwara-Sachna Pass),” read the advisory.
The weather activity may lead to disruption of surface and air transport including Jammu-Srinagar highway and other major roads of middle and higher reaches of J&K.
It urged the people in snow bound areas to avoid venturing into sloppy and Avalanche prone areas.
“Chances of landslides, mudslides & shooting stones most likely over the vulnerable areas,” it said, adding, “Farmers are advised to withhold all farm operations during 1st week of March.”
While ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter ended on January 29 and 20-day-long winter period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ ended on February 19, Kashmir is the middle 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which culminates on March 1. (GNS)
