Night temperature rises due to cloud cover in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 17: With overnight cloud cover amid forecast for light rain and snowfall till January 19, night temperature further increased in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.

Quoting a meteorological department official, news agency GNS reported that Srinagar recorded a low of 1.0°C against last night’s minus 1.2°C in the summer capital of the J&K.

Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.6°C against minus 7.0°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was 3.1°C above normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.6°C against minus 5.4°C last night, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against minus 3.4°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against minus 4.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of 0.5°C against minus 2.1°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu recorded a low of 9.0°C against previous night’s 8.4°C which is 1.9°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 3.4°C, Katra 7.2°C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of 1.5°C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 13.1°C against last night’s minus 15.2°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 16.0°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.2°C against last night’s minus 17.4°C, official said.

Weatherman has said that there is no forecast of any major rain or snow till the end of January in J&K.

Under the influence of feeble Western Disturbance, weather is most likely to remain generally cloudy with possibility of very light to light rain/snow in plains of J&K during 16-19th and light to moderate snowfall over higher reaches, the MeT official said .

“As of today, there’s no forecast of any major rain/snow till ending January (accuracy 60-70%) .”