Night temperatures in the Kashmir Valley have improved but remain below freezing, ahead of an expected Western Disturbance (WD) that could bring snow and rain to Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
The Meteorological (MeT) Department stated that a weak WD is likely to affect the region, potentially causing light rain and snow over higher reaches and scattered areas from late Monday evening to Tuesday morning.
Dry weather is expected to prevail afterward until December 7, they said.
On December 8 there is a possibility of another wet spell with the possibility of light rain and light snow over the higher reaches and at isolated places, the MeT office said. The weather will remain dry hereafter till December 12.
The Kashmir Valley continued to shiver even as the day and night temperatures slightly improved but stayed below normal at most places, with the tourist destinations of Gulmarg emerging as the coldest place at minus 2.9°C and Pahalgam at 2.3°C on Monday.
The minimum temperature recorded during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday in Srinagar improved and settled at minus 0.8°C against the minus 1.3°C the previous night. This was 0.4°C above normal for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during this period of the season.
Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake and other parts were also engulfed with the fog, disrupting normal activities.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 1.4°C against minus 1.8°C a day ago, and this was 0.2°C below normal for the gateway of Kashmir in south Kashmir.
The minimum temperature at Pahalgam dipped to minus 2.3°C against the minus 0.3°C on Sunday. This was still 1.0°C above normal for the famous tourist destination in south Kashmir.
The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district emerged as the coldest place, with the mercury settling at minus 2.9°C on Monday against the minus 2.6°C recorded the previous night. This was still 0.2°C above normal for the valley of meadows during this period of the season.
Kokernag recorded a low of 0.2°C against the 0.4°C recorded the previous day, and it was 0.8°C above normal for the picnic spot of South Kashmir.
The night temperature at the frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara dipped by a notch and settled at minus 0.6°C on Monday against the minus 0.5°C a day ago, and this was 1.1°C above normal for the border area during this period of the season, the MeT office.
