Srinagar: Barring Pahalgam, night temperatures recorded a drop in Jammu and Kashmir with Gulmarg recording a low of minus 10°C on Wednesday, officials said. The weatherman has forecast light rain in the next 24 hours and dry weather for the subsequent two days.

A meteorological department official said  Srinagar, the summer capital of the J&K, had traces of rainfall during the last 24 hours till 0830 hours today and recorded a low of 0.6°C against last night’s 1.4°C, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had 0.2mm rain while it recorded a low of minus 0.3°C against 0.3°C on the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, had a low of minus 2.5°C against minus 0.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, received 4.9cms of fresh snowfall and recorded a low of minus 5.1°C against minus 6.2°C last night, he said.

Gulmarg received 4.8cms of snow and recorded a low of minus 10°C against minus 9.0°C on the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 3.3°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir, which received 0.4mm of rain, recorded a low of minus 1.3°C against 1.7°C on the previous night, the official said.

While the ‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day long harshest period of winter ended on January 30, Kashmir is under the grip of the 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ which would be followed by 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.

Jammu recorded a low of 8.8°C against previous night’s 8.7°C, the official said. The temperature was 0.7°C below normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 0.6°C, Batote had a minimum of 2.1°C while Bhaderwah recorded a low of minus 1.6 °C, the official said.

Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 10.1°C, same as recorded last night while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 13.4°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.2°C against last night’s minus 14.4°C, official said.

The weatherman has forecast isolated very light rain, snow and thundershowers over J&K in next 24 hours and dry weather for subsequent two days. (GNS)

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