SRINAGAR: Officials said on Friday that the plains of Kashmir Valley received more rains, while the upper reaches, including the world-famous skiing resort of Gulmarg, received fresh snowfall, lowering the temperature significantly.
Srinagar received 37.4mm of rain in the last 24 hours until 8:30 a.m. today, according to a meteorological department official, with a low of 4.6°C compared to 8.6°C the night before. He said the temperature in the summer capital of J&K was 4.3°C below average for this time of year.
He said Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in south Kashmir, received 21.4mm of rain and a low of 0.8°C, compared to 3.3°C the night before.
According to the official, Kokernag, which is also in south Kashmir, received 13.3mm of rain during the period and had a low of 1.8°C, down from 3.7°C the night before, and Kupwara received 11.0 mm of rain and had a low of 3.7°C, compared to 5.0°C the night before.
Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, received 29.0cm (nearly one foot) of new snow in the last 24 hours, according to officials. According to the official, the temperature dropped to minus 2.0°C from minus 0.5°C the night before. There has been snowfall in the Valley’s upper reaches, according to reports.
In the next 24 hours, the MeT office predicts “isolated to scattered light rain/thunderstorm over Jammu and Kashmir divisions.”
Sonam Lotus, director of the Meteorological Department, said that while it will be cloudy, the weather will be “mainly dry” from April 24 to May 3, “weather will improve gradually as the day progresses and from 24th till 3rd May expect dry and warmer weather in both J&K and Ladakh,” he said.
In most parts of Ladakh, he said, the weather is overcast, with snowfall in the higher reaches. (GNS)
