Srinagar, June 18: Several upper mountainous reaches of Kashmir, including the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath, Apharwat range witnessed snowfall on Saturday.
However, heavy rain lashed the plains, including the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar. Director IMD Sonam Lotus said that snowfall was recorded at Apharwat and Amarnath cave in the Kashmir region and also in the higher reaches of Ladakh.
“Weather would remain generally cloudy with intermittent rain and snow over the higher reaches till June 21,” he said.
He said as per the forecast, the weather conditions would improve after June 21.
The rains in the plains of Kashmir region brought much-needed relief to people as the mercury plummeted to a considerable extent.
The officials said the holy Amarnath cave in south Kashmir Himalayas recorded light snowfall during the day but there was no disruption in ongoing works being undertaken along the route ahead of the commencement of the annual 43-day yatra on June 30.
The officials said snowfall was also received at the upper reaches of north and south Kashmir besides parts of the Jammu region including Sarkantha top in Gool and Aram Nakh and Angreez Thum mountain peaks in the Banihal area of Ramban district.
Batote in Ramban district received the highest 37.4 mm of rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm followed by Gulmarg hill resort in north Kashmir (35.2 mm), base camp Katra in Reasi district (30.8 mm), Jammu city (21.2 mm) and Srinagar (15.5 mm), an official of the Met department said.
He said Jammu recorded 31.3 degrees Celsius temperature (7.1 degrees below normal during this part of the season), while the maximum temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 19.3 degrees Celsius, which is 9.1 notches below normal.
Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi shrine, recorded a maximum temperature of 24.4 degrees Celsius, 10.6 notches below the season’s average.
The weatherman has forecast fairly widespread light to moderate rain and thunderstorms during the next two days.