Day temp dips as rain, snow predicted till Tuesday in Kashmir

Srinagar: People continued to shiver as the mercury further dipped and settled several degree below normal due to overcast conditions, coupled with ice cold winds, during the day at majority of the places in Kashmir valley, where rain and snow is predicted till Tuesday.
However, the night temperature witnessed some improvement though it settled below normal at most of the places in the valley.
World famous ski resort of Gulmarg was the coldest place in the region at minus 6.3 degree, followed by Leh, where the mercury settled t minus 5.5 degree.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that fairly widespread light to moderate rain and snow would occur till Tuesday under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “The weather will improve from Wednesday onwards in the valley,” he added.
He said moderate to heavy snow is expected to occur during this time, particularly on Monday, in upper reaches.
After witnessing some improvement in the night temperature, people woke up to a chilly and damp Sunday morning in the summer capital, Srinagar. The chilly weather conditions continued throughout the day due to overcast conditions, coupled with ice cold winds in Srinagar, where all concerned departments have prepared zone and location-wise action and management plans to prevent interruption to services during snowfall prediction during the next 72 hours.
Against minus 1.2 degree recorded on Saturday, the night temperature in the summer capital was 0.4 degree, which is slightly above normal.
He said moderate rain or snow would occur during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 4 degree and 2 degree, respectively.
The mercury at Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, dipped against settled at minus 6.3 degree, against minus 6 degree recorded on Saturday night. The night temperature recorded in the ski resort was about 3 degree below normal. “The weather is very chilly and snow is expected to occur today in Gulmarg. Despite sub-zero night temperature, tourists are having a time of their lives. The footfall of visitors, including national and international, will increase many folds after the ski slopes are covered with several feet of snow during the next three days. The ski resort is a major attraction during winters for adventure sports lovers from across the world,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
Even though there was an improvement of over a degree from Saturday in the night temperature, it still settled at minus 5.5 degree in the border town of Leh. “Skies will be generally cloudy while light snow could occur during the next 24 hours in Leh, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 7 degree and minus 5 degree, respectively,” he added.
The night temperature at world famous tourist resort of Pahalgam improved about a degree from Saturday and settled at minus 3 degree, which is still slightly above normal.
The mercury at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kukernag settled at minus 1.2 degree, minus 2.2 degree and minus 0.4 degree, respectively.