SRINAGAR: The overnight rainfall on Monday ended Kashmir’s nearly two-month long dry spell, bringing the season’s first snowfall to the ski resort of Gulmarg.
With only 20 mm of rain until Saturday in September, Kashmir experienced a below-average rainfall of 55 mm for the month, compared to the usual 75 mm. This reduced rainfall followed an unusually hot summer in the Valley, leading to a heatwave that locals were not accustomed to.
On September 12, the summer capital, Srinagar, recorded a temperature of 34.2 degrees Celsius, just slightly lower than the all-time highest recorded temperature of 35 degrees Celsius in 1934.
The prolonged dry spell had raised concerns among apple growers, as the lack of necessary moisture was already affecting the crop’s quality in various parts of the Valley.
Due to the fresh snowfall, Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius on Monday. Meanwhile, Pahalgam recorded 7.8 degrees Celsius, and Srinagar recorded 10.8 degrees Celsius as the night’s lowest temperatures.
