Fresh snowfall across hills in Kashmir

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 12: The hills in Kashmir received fresh snowfall and night temperatures across the region dipped a day after people had respite from the intense cold.
The hills in North Kashmir’s Gulmarg area witnessed fresh snowfall since early morning bringing cheer to the visiting tourists. Several inches of snow had accumulated in Gulmarg while in Afferwat over 8 inch snow had accumulated and it was still snowing in the area.
It was also snowing in Gurez valley where several inches of snow had accumulated. The snowfall led to the closure of Bandipora-Gurez road this evening due to slippery road conditions. However, during the day snow was being cleared from the highway.
It was also snowing in Sonamarg and Zojila along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway, which was closed in the evening for traffic due to slippery road conditions.
The Pir Ki Gali in South Kashmir’s Shopian district also witnessed fresh snowfall leading to slippery road conditions and this evening the road was closed for traffic.
The snowfall was also reported from Simthan Top, Pahalgam and other places along the hills in Kashmir.
The Meteorological Depar-tment has forecast mainly dry weather in the State over the week ahead a further drop in night temperatures could be witnessed. However, the official said that there will be rain and snow at isolated places in hills of Kashmir.
Night temperatures across Kashmir division dipped after a day’s respite with the mercury settling below freezing point at most places, including Leh, which was the coldest place in the State at minus 11.4 degrees.
The temperature in Leh town, in Ladakh region, plummeted over 12 degrees from the previous night’s low of 1.3 degree Celsius, to settle at minus 11.4 degree Celsius. Leh was the coldest place in the State.
Kargil town recorded a low of minus 9.1 degree Celsius. Srinagar recorded minimum temperature of 0.1 degree Celsius, slightly down from the previous night’s 0.5 degree Celsius. Srinagar and the South Kashmir town of Kokernag were the only two places in the Valley where the night temperature settled above the freezing point.
Kokernag registered a low of 0.4 degree Celsius over three degrees down from 3.7 degree Celsius yesterday. Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.1 degree Celsius against 1.2 degrees Celsius of the previous night, while Qazigund registered minimum temperature of minus 1.2 degree Celsius, which was nearly five degrees down from 3.6 degrees Celsius yesterday.
Gulmarg in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.4 degree Celsius compared to minus 2.0 degree Celsius of previous night. Pahalgam shivered at a low of minus 4.2 degree Celsius, which was nearly seven degrees down from the previous night’s 2.6 degree Celsius.
Jammu city recorded 12.2 degree Celsius, Katra 11.8 degree Celsius, Batote 6.2 degree Celsius, Banihal 3.6 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 3.1 degree Celsius as the minimum temperatures.
Srinagar recorded maximum day temperature of 11.4 degree Celsius while normal day temperature for this time of the year is 9 degree Celsius, Qazigund recorded 11.5 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 8.4 degree Celsius, Kupwara 8.5 degree Celsius, Kokernag 11.2 degree Celsius, Gulmarg 4 degree Celsius, Kargil 8.7 degree Celsius and Leh 10.3  degree Celsius.
The day temperatures in Jammu city was recorded at 21.6 degree Celsius, while it was 20.6 degree Celsius in Katra town, 11.7 degree Celsius in Batote, 14 degree Celsius in Banihal and 15.3 degree Celsius in Bhaderwah town.

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