Fresh snowfall in hills of Kashmir, rains in plains

Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Feb 1: The higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall and the plains were lashed by rains today, even as the minimum temperature across the Valley stayed above the freezing point.
An official of the Meteorological Department said five inches of fresh snowfall was recorded in Gulmarg, where the temperature dipped below the freezing point. Pahalgam in South Kashmir also recorded light snowfall and there were reports of snowfall in many other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley.
The fresh snowfall was also recorded in Sadna top, Razdhan Pass, Pir Ki Gali, Zogila Pass and other areas in the hills of Kashmir.
The plains in Kashmir valley, including Srinagar, were lashed by rains bringing relief to the people from intense cold wave conditions that prevailed in Kashmir during Chille Kalan that ended yesterday.
A MeT official said that rains and snow will occur at few places in Kashmir during next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, except Gulmarg, the minimum temperature across the Valley settled above the freezing point.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 1.7 degrees Celsius, while the day temperate settled at 12.9 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, in south Kashmir registered a low of 2 degrees Celsius while the day temperate settled at 8.6 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in Kokernag, in South Kashmir, settled at 1.9 degrees Celsius while the day temperate settled at 7.1 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara town in north recorded the minimum of 1.3 degrees Celsius while the day temperate settled at 14.2 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 0.6 degree Celsius last night while the day temperate settled at 9.6 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius and was the coldest recorded place in the Valley and the second coldest in Jammu and Kashmir, colder even than Kargil in Ladakh region while the day temperate settled at 4.2 degrees Celsius.
Kargil recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius, while the day temperate settled at 1.0 degrees Celsius.
Leh town was the coldest recorded place in the state at minus 7.8 degrees Celsius while the day temperate settled at 8.0 degrees Celsius.
‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harshest winter period in Kashmir, ended yesterday, but the cold continued in the valley.
‘Chillai-Kalan’ is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai- Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold).

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