Fresh snowfall blankets Kashmir, Gulmarg records minus 10.6 deg C

Srinagar, Feb 3 (PTI) Several parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar city, witnessed fresh snowfall on Saturday as the MeT department has forecast moderate top-heavy snowfall in the valley over the next 48 hours.

While it started snowing early in the morning in the higher reaches of Kashmir, the plains of the valley also witnessed snowfall as the day progressed, officials said.

They said the day temperatures are likely to stay between zero and three degrees Celsius at most places in Kashmir.

Authorities have issued avalanche warnings in hilly and mountainous areas of Kashmir while motorists have been advised to drive carefully in view of slippery roads, the officials said.

Meanwhile, there was respite from intense cold conditions last night but the minimum temperature stayed several degrees below the normal for this time of the year.

Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 10.6 degrees Celsius, up by 1.4 degrees from the previous night’s minus 12.0 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius, up from minus 11.9 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Kokernag and Qazigund towns in south Kashmir both recorded a low of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius.

On Friday, the mercury had nosedived across Kashmir with unofficial data suggesting that Larnoo town in south Kashmir Anantnag district had recorded minus 17.1 degrees Celsius followed by Sonamarg resort on the Srinagar-Leh highway which recorded a low of minus 15.1 degrees Celsius.

Although ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ — the 40-day harshest winter period — ended earlier this week, the cold wave has continued in Kashmir.

The valley is currently going through a 20-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) which shall be followed by a 10-day ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold).