Srinagar, Dec 9: Upper reaches of Kashmir Valley including Gulmarg besides Leh in Ladakh received light snowfall, meteorological department here said on Friday. There is already a forecast for light snowfall of 1-2 inches in plains of the valley and around 10 inches over upper reaches during the December 9 evening to December 10.
A meteorological department official here said that Gulmarg received 0.6cm of snowfall and Leh 0.5cm. There are reports of snowfall from Sonamarg and some upper reaches of the Valley.
Also, the MeT official said that Pahalgam received 2.0mm of rainfall while Kokernag had traces of it till 0830 hours.
Meanwhile, there was rise in minimum temperature amid cloud cover last night. The MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a minimum of 1.0°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night. While there was also special weather phenomenon of mist this morning, the MeT official said, today’s temperature was 1.6°C above the normal for this time of the year in Srinagar.
Qazigund recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.0°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 0.7°C against season’s minus 3.6°C on previous night and it was 3.9°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, he said.
Kokernag recorded a low of 1.1°C against minus 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 1.8°C above normal for the place, he said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of 3.0°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 0.7°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at 1.0°C against minus 2.5°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 2.8°C above normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.
Jammu recorded a low of 12.7°C against 7.6°C on the previous night. It was 2.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 4.8°C (above normal by 2.7°C), Batote 4.4°C (0.4°C above normal), Katra 11.0°C (2.4°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 4.5°C (3.2°C above normal).
Ladakh, Leh recorded minus 4.8°C, Kargil minus 5.6°C and Drass, the world’s second coldest place after Siberia, recorded a low of 5.6°C, the official said.
“Intermittent light to moderate rain at many places of Jammu and plains of Kashmir is expected on December 9-10. Light snow (1-2 inches) likely (50% chance) in plains of Kashmir during 9th Night-10th forenoon whereas higher reaches may receive 9-10 inches of snow,” the official said.
While there is no forecast of any major snow during this spell, the MeT official said that there may be temporary disruption in surface transportation over Sinthan Top, Mughal Road, Razdan pass, Bandipora-Gurez, Zojila during December 9 -10th when a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect J&K and adjoining areas.
A feeble WD is also expected to hit J&K on the night of December 12 and 13. There is a possibility of snowfall over higher reaches under its influence in Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal, he said. Dry weather is expected thereafter till November 18, he said.
