Widespread light rain, snow forecast Tuesday evening February 23 in Kashmir – The Dispatch

Night temperature drops below freezing in the valley, minus 2.2°C in Srinagar

SRINAGAR: The meteorologist predicted widespread light to moderate rain and snow on Monday for Feb. 22-23, although overnight temperatures dipped below freezing in the Kashmir Valley, officials said.

“Widespread light to moderate rain/snow, mostly on higher stretches most likely Feb 22-23 with main activity Feb 22 (night) and Feb 23,” a weather service official said here, adding: “It may affect highways like Jammu -Srinagar, Sinthan Top, Sadhna Top, etc. After this fate, the official said, there is no major rain or snow forecast for the next 10 days.

Meanwhile, the official said Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recorded a low of minus 2.2C from 0.1C last night. The temperature was 3.1C below normal for this time of year, he said.

Qazigund, the gateway city to Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.8C from minus 0.8C the previous night, he said.

Kokernag, also in South Kashmir, recorded a low of 3.0C from minus 2.6C the previous night, the official said.

Pahalgam, the popular resort town in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.0C from minus 4.3C last night, it said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 8.0C, similar to the previous night, he said.

The temperature was 1.3C colder than normal for this time of year in the popular resort town of Baramulla district in north Kashmir, he said.

Kupwara town in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.0C from minus 2.3C the previous night, the official said.

While ‘Chillai Kalan’, the harshest winter period of 40 days ended on January 30, and ‘Chillai Khurd’ of 20 days peaked on February 19, Kashmir is currently in the grip of 10 ‘Chilla Bachha’ days.

Jammu recorded a low of 8.1C, same as the previous night, the official said. The temperature was 2.5C below normal for J&K’s winter capital at this time of year, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 4.6°C, Batote 3.4°C and Bhaderwah 0.8°C, the official said.

Leh in Ladakh recorded a low of minus 13.5°C from minus 10.7°C last night while the mercury at Kargil automatic station stabilized at minus 18.2°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 21.6°C from minus 13.5°C the previous night, an official said. (GNS)