Srinagar: While weather remained cloudy with scattered light rain on Wednesday, the Meteorological Department forecast said widespread light, moderate rain will occur in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
“Widespread light/moderate rain is likely to occur in J&K during the next 24 hours”, MeT department forecast said.
Several higher reaches of Kashmir received a fresh spell of light snowfall on Wednesday, bringing down the temperatures.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded 9.6 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 3.6 and Gulmarg 2.5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature. Drass in Ladakh had 1.2 degrees, Leh 5.6 and Kargil 5.0 as the night’s lowest temperature. Jammu registered 23.4 degrees, Katra 20.8, Batote 14.1, Banihal 13.2 and Bhaderwah 8.4 as the minimum temperature.
Due to absence of any strong weather systems, rainfall deficiency in Jammu and Kashmir has touched 90 per cent this ongoing season. From March 1 to April 16, Jammu and Kashmir received just 21.6 mm of rainfall against a normal rainfall of 210.1 mm. Weather forecasters have indicated this deficiency to continue as below normal rainfall is expected in the remaining days of April.
“The bad news continues, this month too might end up with below normal rainfall.”
“Although it won’t be completely dry, rains are expected on some days, but it won’t be enough to compensate for deficient rainfall this month,” said an independent weather forecaster.
Highest deficit rainfall of 99 per cent was recorded in Jammu, followed by Kishtwar and Udhampur at 98 per cent, 97 per cent in Kathua, Reasi and Samba districts. Lowest deficit figure was recorded in Ganderbal at 63 per cent, followed by Baramulla at 73 per cent and Srinagar at 77 per cent.