Fresh snowfall in higher reaches of Kashmir, as rain lashes plains

Srinagar — Rain lashed the plains, while higher reaches received fresh snowfall on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Meterological (MeT) office has forecast light to moderate rain and snow in higher reaches on Monday, adding that a few higher reaches in north and central Kashmir might receive moderate to heavy snowfall.
The weather is expected to remain mostly dry from March 4 to March 9, while a fresh spell of rain and snow is expected between March 10 and March 12.
Rain and snow during the last seven days has set at rest the fears of a prolonged dry spell resulting in drought in the union territory this year.
The water level in rivers, streams, lakes, springs and other water bodies has improved considerably. Some of the perennial springs that had dried up due to the prolonged dry spell for 50 days in January and February have again started flowing with water.
The weather woes had started when Kashmir witnessed just one major snowfall during the 40-day long period of harsh winter cold called the ‘Chillai Kalan’ that starts each year on December 21 and ends on January 30.
It is this snowfall during the 40-day long period of harsh winter cold that replenishes the perennial water reservoirs in the mountains and provides abundant water, including for drinking, to the people in the valley..
All the water bodies of Jammu and Kashmir are sustained by these perennial water reservoirs during the hot summer months. No appreciable snowfall in winter naturally foretells a dry summer when water for both drinking and irrigation of agricultural fields becomes hard to come by.
The local Jal Shakti department had already started supplying potable water to areas where perennial springs had dried up due to the dry winter spell.
Srinagar had 4.9 degrees Celsius, Gulmarg minus 4.3 degrees and Pahalgam minus 0.8 as the minimum temperature on Monday. Jammu city had 12.4 degrees Celsius, Katra town 7.8 degrees, Batote 4.7, Banihal 3.6 and Bhaderwah 3.4 as the minimum temperature.