Kashmir: Srinagar, other major towns receive season's first snowfall

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and its adjoining areas on Thursday morning were decked with a layer of light snowfall that brought cheer to the people and the tourists staying in the iconic Dal Lake and other places of the city centre.

Reports of light to moderate snowfall were also received from all major towns in the Kashmir valley, including the tourist hot spots of Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Pahalgam, Doodhpathri, and Kokernag.

The meteorological center in Srinagar said 10 to 15 inches of snowfall were experienced over the middle and higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Budgam, Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian.

It said 6–8 inches of snow over the lower reaches and plains of north, northwestern, and south Kashmir, while 2-4 inches fell over the plains of central Kashmir.

Light-to-moderate Rain with thunder over Jammu Division, with light snow over a few middle and higher reaches.

Currently, the weather is generally cloudy with light snow in isolated places, the MeT office said.

It said the weather will remain generally cloudy with light snow at a few places till the afternoon and gradual improvement thereafter on Thursday, and the weather will generally remain dry with the possibility of very light snow at isolated higher reaches on February 2.

From February 3–4, there is a possibility of light to moderate snow or rain (Jammu) at many places in J&K, while the weather will generally remain dry from February 5 to 12, it said.

The MeT office has also issued an advisory stating that due to intermittent moderate to heavy snow since the past 3 days over higher reaches, which has led to the temporary closure of roads in higher reaches and important passes, travelers are advised to plan accordingly and follow the administration/traffic police advisory.

The MeT said that Srinagar received 13.4mm of rainfall and 2.4cm of snowfall during the past 24 hours until 0830 hours on Thursday.

Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway received 36.2mm of rainfall and 22.0cm of snowfall; Pahalgam in Srough Kashmir received 19.4mm of rainfall and 23.0cm of snowfall; Kupwara received 21.9mm of rainfall and 10.0cm of snowfall; Kokernag received 35.2mm of rainfall and 30.0cm of snowfall; and ski resort of Gulmarg received 35.2mm of rainfall and 35.0cm of snowfall during the past 24 hours, the MeT office said.

The night temperature rose and stayed above normal in Kashmir Valley on Thursday.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of 0.2°C, and it was 0.9°C above normal during this period of the season.

The day temperature was 0.2°C above the normal of 8.9°C, against the 9.1°C recorded the previous day in Srinagar.

Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded a low of -0.4°C, and Kokerng in south Kashmir had a low of -1.4°C.

Pahalgam had a low of -4.1°C, and it was 2.0°C above normal for the tourist hot spot of south Kashmir.

Kupwara settled at -0.7°C, and it was 1.6°C above normal for the frontier Kashmir district during this period of the season.

Gulmarg recorded a low of -7.6°C, and it was normal during this period of the season for the famous ski resort of north Kashmir, the MeT office said.