Srinagar: For the second consecutive day on Saturday, light rains lashed plains of Kashmir and Ladakh while upper reaches experienced fresh snowfall.
Meanwhile, as fresh precipitation led to an increase in minimum temperatures, the Meteorological Department predicted dry weather till December 20.
“Higher reaches of Kashmir and Ladakh received fresh snowfall for the second day on Saturday,” MeT officials said, adding that the minimum temperature rose and stayed above the freezing point at most places in Kashmir.
“The middle and higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir received light to moderate snow.”
“There would be generally cloudy weather with light rain and snow at scattered places mainly over higher reaches during the next 24 hours and mainly dry weather from December 11 to 20 in Jammu and Kashmir,” MeT officials said.
Officials said that Gurez, in Bandipora district, received five inches of snow, Keran and Machil, in Kupwara, three inches each, Sinthan Pass four inches and Mughal Road four inches.
MeT officials said that Gulmarg received 11cm of snowfall and Leh 0.1cm in the last 24 hours till 8:30 am today.
They said that Srinagar received 0.9mm of rain, Qazigund 2.6mm, Pahalgam 2.3mm, Kupwara 5.5mm, Kokernag 5.6mm, Jammu 1.0mm, Banihal 9.4mm, Batote 13.8mm, Katra 2.6mm and Bhaderwah 3.2mm during the time.
The officials said that there was further rise in minimum temperature amid cloud cover last night with Srinagar recording a minimum of 2.8°C against 1.0°C on the previous night. “While there was also a special weather phenomenon of mist this morning, today’s temperature was 3.4°C above the normal for this time of the year in Srinagar.”
Qazigund, they said, recorded a low of 2.8°C against 0.2°C on the previous night. The temperature was 3.6°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, they said.
They said Pahalgam recorded a low of 1.2°C against 0.7°C on previous night and it was 4.4°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag, they said, recorded a low of 2.3°C against 1.1°C on the previous night and it was 3.0°C above normal for the place.
Ski resort of Gulmarg in Baramulla, they said, recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night. It was 1.2°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the officials said.In Kupwara town, MeT officials said, the mercury settled at 1.3°C against 1.0°C on the previous night. It was 3.0°C above normal for the north Kashmir place.
Jammu recorded a low of 13.2°C against 12.7°C on the previous night. It was 3.2°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, they said. Banihal recorded a low of 4.8°C (above normal by 2.7°C), Batote 4.6°C (0.6°C above normal), Katra 12.2°C (3.6°C above normal) and Bhaderwah 4.8°C (3.5°C above normal).
In Ladakh, Leh recorded minus 4.8°C, the officials said.