Weather improves in Kashmir after day of heavy snowfall, flights resume at Srinagar airport

SRINAGAR: After a day of widespread snowfall, gusty winds and rain, the weather improved in Kashmir on Saturday even though night temperatures were seen below the freezing point across the valley, officials said.

Some areas, especially in the higher reaches of Kashmir, received intermittent snowfall and rains till late Friday night, the officials said.

On Friday, most parts of Kashmir received a major snowfall, with the first snowfall of the season, though light, in parts of Srinagar. The officials said that in the past 24 hours, moderate to heavy snowfall was recorded at most places of the valley, especially in the higher reaches, while the plains received light to moderate snow.

There has been an improvement in the weather since Saturday morning, the officials said, adding, however, that the Meteorological Department has forecast light rain and snow at isolated places on Saturday and Sunday.

Another western disturbance is likely to impact Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, under the influence of which, light to moderate rain/snow is likely at most places, with the possibility of heavy spells with thunder/gusty winds at a few places, from Monday night to Tuesday forenoon, the officials said.

Afterwards till February 3, the weather is likely to stay mainly dry, but partly cloudy.

Meanwhile, the night temperature in Srinagar settled at a low of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius on Friday night, the officials said. At the Srinagar airport, flight operations, which were suspended due to heavy snowfall before, resumed after snow was removed from the runway.

Gulmarg, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir at a low of minus 12.0 degrees Celsius, they said.

The tourist resort of Sonamarg, in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, was the second coldest recorded place at minus 10.5 degrees Celsius.

The Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, the officials said.

The minimum temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town of the Valley, settled at minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, they added.

The Kashmir Valley is currently under the influence of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, a 40-day period of extreme cold during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest.

‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30. (PTI)