Srinagar, Sept 20: The mercury plummeted by 11-13°C at most places in Kashmir Valley following rains in plains and snowfall in upper reaches including world famous skiing resort of Gulmarg on Thursday.
Srinagar recorded day temperature of 7.5°C against the normal of 21.1°C. The 13.7°C drop was recorded amid 7.2mm of rain during the day from 0830-1730 hours in the summer capital of the J&K, a meteorological department official said.
Zabarwan mountain range in the city received traces of snowfall during the night while most higher reaches received a considerable amount of snowfall.
The MeT official said Qazigund recorded a drop of 12.5°C from normal temperature, recording a maximum of 7.8°C. The Gateway town received 29.6mm of the rain during the day.
In Pahalgam, the maximum temperature of 5.0°C was recorded and it was 13.3°C below normal for the south Kashmir resort which received 13.2mm of rain during the day, he said.
Kokernag recorded maximum of 7.6°C against normal of 18.9°C and it received 22.0mm of rainfall.
Gulmarg was draped in white snow blanket and recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against minus 0.4°C on the previous night. It recorded day temperature of 0.6°C and it was 12.2°C below normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
In Kupwara town, the maximum of 10.3°C against normal of 21.9°C was recorded, the official said. The north Kashmir place, he said, received no rain during the day but had 13.2mm of rain in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours today.
Jammu received 3.0mm of rain and recorded a maximum of 22.2°C. It was 8.2°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal, having received 33.4mm of rain during the day, recorded a maximum of 9.4°C (below normal by 13.9°C), Batote 13.6°C (8.7°C below normal), Katra 18.1°C (below normal by 9.3°C) and Bhadarwah 13.7°C (below normal by 10.0°C).
The weatherman has forecast decrease in rain and snowfall. However, he said, light rain/snow may continue at some places, especially over higher reaches, with “decreased intensity”.
From October 21 to 30, he said, there’s no forecast of any major rain or snowfall in J&K and Ladakh but light rain or snow may occur at isolated places.
