As Kashmir valley braces for season’s major snowfall, the minimum temperature recorded an increase with mercury settling above sub-zero level at most places barring Gulmarg and Pahalgam on Wednesday.
Also higher reaches received fresh snowfall with 6 cm in Gulmarg in the 24 hours till 08:30 am, a meteorological department official said.
Meanwhile, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 3.5°C against last night’s 1.8°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 5.6°C above normal for the summer capital, he said.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.3°C against minus 3.2°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature was 6.8°C above normal for the place, he said. The coldest night recorded this season in the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district was on January 2 when mercury plunged to minus 9.6°C.
Jammu recorded a low of 8.0°C against 6.6°C on the previous night. It was 1.0°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 4.9°C (above normal by 5.0°C), Batote a low of 6.6°C (above normal by 5.0°C), Katra 10.1°C (4.2°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 6.6°C (7.7°C above normal).
“From January 11-13th, widespread moderate snowfall/(rain in plains of Jammu) with heavy snowfall over higher reaches with main activity expected during 11th evening-12th (>75% chance),” the meteorological department official said, “The weather system is very likely to affect surface transportation (major Highways, Sinthantop, Sadna Top, Gurez-Bandipora etc. during 11-12th & Air transportation on 12th(60-70% chance). The weather system, he said, may affect Power Supply.
Kashmir is under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21.
