Srinagar: Night temperature in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir increased even as light snowfall lashed the Valley in last 24 hours, a meteorological department said on Sunday.
The Srinagar-Jammu highway, the only surface link connecting Kashmir with rest of the globe, was open with traffic moving towards Srinagar to Jammu, officials said.
A weather office official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of the state, recorded a low of minus 0.3 degree Celsius against minus 2.0 Degrees Celsius on previous night. In last 24-hours, Srinagar had 4 centimeters of fresh snow, official said.
Qazginund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degrees Celsius against 3.4 degree Celsius on previous night while Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.0 degree Celsius against minus 4.5 degrees Celsius previous night. Both these places had negligible snowfall in last 24 hours.
Pahalgam, which also serves as base camp to Amarnath cave shrine, recorded a low of minus 3.0 Degrees Celsius against previous night’s 4.4 degrees Celsius and had snowfall of 4 cms.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a low of minus 0.5 degree Celsius last night and had recorded 9-cm of fresh snow, the highest in Valley, the official said.
Gulmarg recorded 8 centimeters of fresh snowfall and the world famous skiing resort witnessed night temperature of minus 1.0 Degrees Celsius, the official added.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ which ends on January 31. The cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir as the 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).
The meteorological department has predicted moderate to heavy snowfall on ensuing Monday and Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a traffic department official told INS that Srinagar-Jammu thoroughfare was open for one-way traffic and movement of traffic was towards Jammu from Srinagar.
