Owais Gul
Srinagar, Oct 6: The upper reaches of Jammu and Kashmir recorded season’s first snowfall on Monday, while rains lashed the plains, causing temperatures to plummet below normal across the region.
Independent weatherman Faizan Keng said, “January like conditions prevailed in Kupwara and Baderwah as temperatures fell 16.0 C below normal.”
The maximum temperature settled below normal across Union Territory with Srinagar recording a day temperature of 12.5 degree Celsius (13.0 degree Celsius below normal).
Kupwara recorded 10.8 degree Celsius (16.0 degree Celsius) while Qazigund, a gateway of Kashmir, recorded 13.5 degree Celsius (10.6 degree Celsius below normal). Pahalgam recorded a day temperature of 9.2 degree Celsius (13.2 degree Celsius below normal) and Kokernag recorded 12.1 degree Celsius (11.7 degree Celsius below normal). Gulmarg, famous ski-resort, recorded a maximum temperature of 4.4 degree Celsius (12.1 degree Celsius below normal).
In Jammu division, Banihal recorded a maximum temperature of 11.2 degree Celsius (15.3 degree Celsius below normal) while Jammu recorded 21.3 degree Celsius (11.1 degree Celsius below normal). In Bhaderwah, the temperature settled at 10.0 degree Celsius (16.1 degree Celsius below normal). Batote recorded 12.6 degree Celsius (12.5 degree Celsius below normal) & Katra recorded 18.0 degree Celsius (11.1 degree Celsius below normal).
According to details available, the fresh snowfall was recorded in Pir ki Gali, Razdan Top, Sadhna Pass, Sinthan Top, Daksum, Kongdori Gulmarg, Minimarg and other parts of the region.
The rains lashed the plains including Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, the weatherman said that there is a forecast of light to moderate rain (light snow over higher reaches) till Tuesday forenoon or afternoon and improvement thereafter.
“On October 8, a brief spell of light rain is expected at a few places while generally dry weather is expected from October 9 to October 16,” the MeT said.
The MeT has advised the farmers to suspend all activities between October 6 and 7. “There is a possibility of landslides, shooting stones at vulnerable places with a possibility of light to moderate snow over higher reaches of Kashmir, Chenab valley and Pir Panjal range and possibility of moderate to heavy snow over few higher reaches of South Kashmir and Chenab Valley,” it said.
