Forecast for widespread snow, rain from December 5

Srinagar: Kashmir is expected to receive widespread snow and rains in the face of western disturbance hitting Jammu and Kashmir in the first week of December.
“Scattered to fairly widespread rainfall/snowfall accompanied with isolated thunderstorm/lightning likely over Jammu-Kashmir-Ladakh-Gilgit-Baltistan- Muzaffarabad, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh on December 1 and 2,” said forecast issued by Indian Meteorological Department.
In the Valley, a Meteorological official said that widespread light to moderate snow or rainfall in plains of J&K is expected during December 5 and 7 while some places at higher reaches may receive heavy snowfall.
“A western disturbance is most likely to affect J&K during 5-7th Dec. Widespread light to moderate snow or rainfall in plains of JMU is expected during above period. Some places on higher reaches (above 2000m) may receive heavy snow (1-2 feet) whereas plains likely to receive 2-3 inches of snow,” he said.
The official said that there will be temporary disruption of traffic over passes like Zojila, Sinthan Top, Razdan Top, Mughal Road due to snow and freezing temperatures, while predictability of forecast is 75 percent and accuracy will increase as the days comes closer.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, down from minus 0.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.
They said Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district also recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded minus 2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius.
The MET Office has said the weather will most likely remain dry but cold till December 3.
The wintry conditions in the valley set-in much ahead of the beginning of extreme harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December.
‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year.

Reader correspondent