The Meteorological Centre on Wednesday forecasted light snowfall over the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours.
According to the MeT office, light snowfall is likely to occur at isolated higher reaches tonight and early morning on January 16.
Another spell of light snowfall is expected at isolated to scattered locations on January 20 and 21. Furthermore, the MeT has predicted light rain in the plains of Jammu and snowfall at scattered to fairly widespread locations in the Kashmir Valley on January 22.
An independent weather observer, Faizan Arif, said, “Owing to an approaching Western Disturbance, there is a possibility of rain/snow showers in some parts of J&K.”
“Rain/snow showers are possible in parts of Doda and Kishtwar districts, particularly,” he said, adding that light to moderate snowfall is also possible over Sonamarg, Gulmarg, and other higher reaches of Anantnag, Kulgam, and Shopian districts.
The WD may also bring rain/snow showers to a few plains of J&K. Snow showers are also possible over the Kargil-Drass axis, he added.
Meanwhile, there was no improvement in cold weather conditions as night temperature again plummeted at various weather stations and recorded several degrees below freezing point in the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday.
Night temperature in Srinagar during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday dropped by several notches, recorded at a low of -4.8°C against the -4.2°C the previous day, the MeT office said, adding this was 2.8°C below the average for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during the period.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir also witnessed a significant drop and recorded at a low of -8.4°C against the -7.8°C on the previous day. This was 2.5°C below normal for the tourist spot, which also turned out to be the coldest place in the valley during the period.
Gulmarg dropped to a low of -7.4°C on Wednesday against the -6.2°C a day ago, and this was, however, 0.4°C above normal for the ski resort of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district for the day.
The frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara settled at -4.7°C for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, and this was 2.2°C below normal for the place during this period of the season.
Kokernag in south Kashmir plunged to -4.6°C against the -3.4°C recorded a day ago, and it was 1.4°C below the average for the picnic spot during the period.
Qazigund on the Srinagar Jammu national highway had a slight improvement by a few notches and was recorded at -5-4°C against the -5.6°C, and it was 2.4°C below normal for the gateway to Kashmir during the period, the MeT office said.
