Unpredictable thundershowers lashed Kashmir on Sunday night accompanied by gusty winds and lightening—taking people by surprise. As per a weather bulletin issued by the Meteorological Department “moderate rains, thundershowers accompanied by gusty winds occurred at widespread places of all districts of Kashmir.”
“At all districts of north, central Kashmir and at scattered places of south Kashmir there was widespread rainfall. This was also experienced along Zojila and Minamarg,” the bulletin said.
Director MeT, Sonam Lotus, said the sudden wet spell was likely to continue on Sunday night “and gradually decrease”.
“A brief spell of showers may occur at isolated to scattered places for next few days. But there was no forecast for any heavy rainfall,” Lotus added. With the recent spell of rainfall across Kashmir, farmers have heaved a sigh of relief since the scarcity of water has adversely affected both rain-fed and irrigated maize and paddy crops in Kashmir due to the dry spell,” it said.
It may be recalled that Jammu & Kashmir has witnessed a “deficient rainfall” of 54 per cent below normal between June 1 and August 17, which had put Valley’s farm produce on the brink of suffering huge losses.