Rain lashes Srinagar, other parts of Kashmir

Srinagar: A fresh spell of rain lashed Kashmir, including summer capital, Srinagar, which recorded the hottest-ever March this year and a deficit rainfall — forcing authorities to advised farmers in many areas in the valley not to cultivate paddy – a water-intensive crop.
Meanwhile, the upper reaches in Pahalgam, including Chandanwari, the last motorable halting station for Amarnath cave shrine on traditional yatra route, received fresh light snowfall. Amarnath cave shine and its periphery besides Sheshnag, Mahagung, Pisso top and Panjterni also received fresh snowfall.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light rain and thundershowers would occur at many places during the next 24 hours under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), which originated from the Arabian Sea and hit the region late on Saturday night. “Rain would occur at most of the places in the valley during the subsequent three days from Monday in Kashmir under the influence of this WD,” he said.
He further said that the weather will start improving from April 12 onwards.
Due to overcast sky, the minimum temperature witnessed further increase across Kashmir valley though the maximum temperature dipped due to wet weather.
Life was affected due to rain since this afternoon in Srinagar, where sweaters and other warm cloth were again out after bright sunshine during the last about a week. The maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was about nine degree above normal in Srinagar, which recorded a deficit of about 90 mm in January and February.
The minimum temperature in the city witnessed surge and settled about 2 degree from Saturday and settled at 10.8 degrees, four notches above normal. “Light rain-thundershowers would occur and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 19 degree and 9 degree respectively during the next 24 hours in the summer capital,” the spokesperson said.
World famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, received heavy rain since early Sunday morning, resulting in dip in the day temperature. However, the night temperature in Gulmarg improved due to overcast conditions and settled at 5.3 degree, against 3 degree recorded on Sunday. The maximum temperature recorded on Saturday was 7 degree above normal in the ski resort.
Qazigund, the gateway to the valley on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, Kupwara in north Kashmir and another tourist resort of Kokernag also received rain since early this morning. The night temperatures at these places settled at 8 degree, 8.1 degree and 7.5 degree, respectively.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, also received rainfall since Sunday morning, resulting in dip in the day temperature though the night temperature improved due to overcast conditions. Against 7.9 degree recorded on Saturday, the night temperature at Pahalgam was 10.6 degree, which is 8 degree above normal. The maximum temperature recorded on Saturday in the health resort was about 7 degree above normal.