SRINAGAR: Light to moderate snowfall was reported from most places of the valley since Saturday night, with the mercury inching closer to the freezing point, while a trace of rainfall was reported across Srinagar city, officials said here on Sunday.
The minimum temperature, however, improved at many places in Kashmir.
Srinagar recorded the minimum temperature of 0.3 degrees Celsius, up from the Friday night’s minus 2.4 degrees Celsius, the officials said.
Gulmarg, the famous skiing resort in north Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius — almost the same as Friday night’s 6.0 degrees Celsius.
The officials said Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius, up from minus 6.1 degrees Celsius on Friday night.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius, while the nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.9 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of 1.6 degrees Celsius.
The MeT Office had forecast light snowfall over the higher reaches of Kashmir from Saturday evening, likely to continue till Sunday morning.
Also, widespread snow/rain spell of moderate to heavy intensity is most likely during January 4 to 6 with the main activity on January 5 to 6. Heavy snow is expected at some places during the period as well, it said.
The weather may affect surface and air transport, the MeT Office warned.
Kashmir valley is currently under the grip of the 40-day harshest winter period known as ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, which began on December 21.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.
The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy to very heavy snowfall.
The ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will end on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in Kashmir with a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).