Gulmarg freezes at minus 9.5°C, fresh snowfall in JK parts

Srinagar: Barring few places including Srinagar, night temperature recorded a fall in Kashmir Valley with mercury settling at minus 9.5°C in the world famous skiing resort of Gulmarg. Some places including famous resort of Pahalgam accumulated fresh snowfall.
A meteorological department official here said that Srinagar received 2.6mm rainfall in last 24 hours till 0830 hours today while the summer capital of the J&K recorded a low of 2.8°C against last night’s 0.4°C, he said.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg had about 11cms of fresh snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 9.5°C against minus 6.0°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was 2.2°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 5.6mm of rainfall and recorded a low of 0.2°C against 0.0°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had 3.5 cms of snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.5°C against minus 0.7°C on the previous night, the official said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, had 712.8cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 0.8°C against minus 1.2°C on the last night, he said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir received no rainfall during the time while as it recorded a low of 0.2°C against 1.2°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, received 1.6.7mm of rain and recorded a low of 7.6°C against previous night’s 8.7°C which is 0.6°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal had 0.5cms of snowfall during the time and recorded a low of 0.0°C, Katra had no rainfall and recorded minimum of 6.2°C while Bhaderwah had 7.4cms of snowfall and recorded a low of 0.2°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 11.9°C against last night’s minus 9.0°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 9.6°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 8.4°C against last night’s minus 10.8°C, official said.
The weatherman has forecast improvement in the weather from today till January 29.
“There is possibility of isolated very light rain/snow over Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours,” the official said, adding, “The weather will be mainly dry weather (till January 29)”. (GNS)