Srinagar: The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and other reaches received fresh snowfall on Sunday while rain lashed plains in the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, where weather woes would continue till March 18 even as a fresh Western Disturbance (WD) is expected to hit the region in coming days.
Barring Gulmarg, the night temperature improved and settled above normal across the valley, which the weather on Saturday remained dry though cloudy after witnessing three days of moderate to heavy rain and snow.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light to moderate rain, snow and thundershowers would occur during the next 24 hours in Kashmir under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “The weather is expected to improve slightly on Monday, when rain and snow could occur at isolated places,” he said.
However, he said a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region though Afghanistan and Pakistan, would hit J&K late on Monday evening. “Under the influence of this WD, light to moderate rain and snow would occur at most places in the valley on Tuesday and Wednesday,” he said.
He said the weather is expected to improve from March 18 onwards.
Much to the delight of tourists, Gulmarg, which is already covered under several feet of snow, received light to moderate snowfall since this morning, resulting in dip in the day temperature. Kongdori and Apharwat, the highest point of the cable car project in Gulmarg, also received light to moderate snowfall.
The ski resort was the only place in the valley where the night temperature settled below freezing point. Against minus 2.6 degree recorded on Saturday, the mercury dipped and settled at minus 2.2 degree, which is a degree above normal. “The weather was cloudy in the morning and snow started at around 1115 hrs on Sunday. But, despite snow, the tourists are out on ski slopes enjoying different activities,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
He said the ski resort, which is about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, witnessed a huge influx of tourists this winter season after zero business during the last two years. “Most of the hotels are booked to April end in Gulmarg,” he added.
After witnessing an improvement of about 2 degree in the night temperature, people in Srinagar woke up to a chilly and cloudy Sunday morning. Rain again lashed the city in the evening, resulting in further dip in the day temperature. Normal life has been thrown out of gear during the last over five days as most of the roads and lands remained waterlogged in Srinagar. The maximum temperature also remained several degrees below normal during the last couple of days due to wet weather, forcing people to once again wear sweaters and jackets, besides use other heating gadgets to keep themselves warm. Against 3.8 degree recorded on Saturday, the night temperature in the city improved and settled at 5.8 degree, which is 2 degree above normal.
He said skies will be partly cloudy to very light rain and thundershowers during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperature is expected to settle at 11 degree and 6 degree, respectively.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, also received rain in the evening, resulting in dip in the maximum temperature. The night temperature in the health resort improved about a degree from Saturday and settled 0.6 degree, which is about a degree above normal. However, the upper reaches in Pahalgam, including Chandanwari, received very light snowfall. Amarnath cave shine and its periphery, besides Sheshnag, Mahagung, Pisso top and Panjterni, also received light to moderate snowfall.
Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kokernag also received rain.
