Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Dec 11: The hills in Kashmir received light snowfall last night and plains in Valley received rains breaking over five month long dry spell and improving weather in the region.
A Meteorological Depar-tment official said that there was light rainfall in the plains of Kashmir while hills received light snowfall last night bringing respite to the people from intense cold.
Gulmarg recorded 1.4 mm overnight snowfall while there was light snowfall at Sonamarg and Peer Ki Gali on Mughal road in South Kashmir. Sonamarg received about 4-5 inch of snow while as Zojila witnessed about one feet of snow.
Due to the nightlong cloud cover and rains and snowfall, there was remarkable improvement in the minimum temperatures across the Valley and temperatures mostly stayed above freezing.
Srinagar’s minimum temperature was recorded at 0.5 degree Celsius against previous night’ s minus 4.5 degree Celsius bringing relief to the residents from biting night cold.
The night temperatures improved in other places of the Valley. Pahalgam recorded 2.6 degree Celsius and Gulmarg minus 2 degree Celsius.
Kupwara recorded a minimum of 1.2 degree Celsius while Kokernag recorded 2.7 degree Celsius.
Leh town in the Ladakh region showed marked improvement in the minimum temperature. The minimum temperature was recorded at 1.3 degree Celsius against previous night’s minus 11.9 degree Celsius.
Jammu city recorded 12.5 degree Celsius, Katra 13.4 degree Celsius, Batote 6.9 degree Celsius, Banihal 5.7 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 5.7 degree Celsius as the minimum temperatures.
Srinagar recorded maximum day temperature of 14.5 degree Celsius while normal day temperature for this time of the year is 10 degree Celsius, Qazigund recorded 16. 4 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 12.3 degree Celsius, Kupwara 15. 4 degree Celsius, Kokernag 11.2 degree Celsius, Gulmarg 10 degree Celsius and Leh 8 degree Celsius.
The day temperature in Jammu city was recorded at 26.7 degrees Celsiu, while it was 23.4 degree Celsius in Katra town, 14 degree Celsius in Batote, 18.5 degree Celsius in Banihal and 14.4 degree Celsius in Bhaderwah town.
The MeT official said that the weather is likely to remain dry during the next 24 hours in Jammu and Kashmir.
Traffic movement on Srinagar-Leh highway was suspended today following overnight snowfall in the higher reaches, including Sonamarg and Zojila areas.
Mughal road linking Kashmir valley with Jammu through Poonch was closed for all types of traffic today due to overnight snowfall.
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