Srinagar: Ahead of another spell of light to moderate snow under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) predicted from Tuesday, the temperature during the day remained several degrees above normal as bright sunshine greeted people since Monday morning in Kashmir valley.
Even though there was slight improvement in the night temperature across the valley, it was still several degrees below freezing point.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that weather is expected to remain dry during the next 24 hours in the valley.
However, he said a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and
is approaching the region though Afghanistan and Pakistan, will hit
J&K on Tuesday. “Under the influence of this WD which will gain
movement on Wednesday, light to moderate snow could occur at some
places in J&K for three days from February 12,” he added.
Despite improvement of about a degree in the night temperature, world
famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south
Kashmir, was the coldest place in the valley. Against minus 10.4
degree recorded on Sunday, the night temperature in the health resort
was minus 9.4 degree.
The night temperature at world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55
km from here in north Kashmir, also improved marginally from Sunday
and settled at minus 9 degree. “After witnessing further dip in the
night temperature, the weather further improvement during the days as
sun came out from behind the clouds on Monday in Gulmarg, which is
famous for its ski slopes and quality of snow. Tourists, including
foreigners, were out on ski slopes enjoying different activities,” a
hotelier told UNI.
The mercury during the night at Qazigund, gateway to the valley,
Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kokernag improved and
settled at minus 5.5 degree, minus 5.7 degree and minus 3.2 degree,
respectively.
Meanwhile, there was still no respite for people from chilly weather
conditions in Ladakh, where all water-bodies — including lakes and
streams — remained frozen due to several degrees’ below freezing
point temperature. The people in the newly created Union Territory
(UT) of Ladakh are mostly dependent on hot water springs during
winter. The border town of Kargil was the coldest place in the region
at minus 22.8 degree, followed by Leh, where the mercury settled at
minus 14.8 degree.
