Fresh snow drapes Gulmarg, Pahalgam

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, January 8

Fresh snowfall was recorded in the higher reaches of Kashmir while the plains received rains, even as the mercury stayed above the freezing point at most places in the Valley.

According to an official of the Met Department, fresh snowfall was recorded in the higher reaches of the Valley, including Gulmarg, Pahalgam and Kupwara.

The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded 5 cm of snow while 4 cm of fresh snow was registered in the tourist resort of Pahalgam and 1.5 cm in Kupwara in north Kashmir.

The official said there are reports of fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Shopian, including Peer Ki Gali on Mughal Road, Sonamarg, Amarnath Cave Shrine, Razdan Pass, Sadhna Top and Gurez.

The plain areas of the Valley, including the summer capital Srinagar, witnessed intermittent rain, the official said. The city recorded 2.7 mm of rainfall during the night and registered a minimum temperature of 1.8 degree C, he said.

The official added that the mercury continued to stay above zero degree C in the city for the fifth consecutive day today. The minimum temperature also remained above the freezing point in the towns of Qazigund, Kokernag and Kupwara.

Qazigund registered a low of 1.6 degree C and received 3.2 mm of rain, the official said. He said Kokernag received 4.5 mm of rain and the mercury settled at 0.6 degree C.

The minimum temperature in Kupwara settled at zero degree C and the town recorded 1.5 cm of snow and 13.5 mm of rainfall, the official said. Gulmarg was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir with a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius. The resort had recorded a low of minus 11.2 degree C the previous night.

Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp during annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a minimum of minus 0.3 degree C compared to the previous night’s 0.5 degree C, the official said.

Leh town, in the cold desert of Ladakh, witnessed an increase of nearly two degrees in the night temperature which settled at minus 5.4 degrees Celsius.

The Met office has said there is possibility of scattered rains or snowfall in the Valley today.

(With inputs from PTI)