Fresh snowfall in higher reaches of Valley

The higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Wednesday, even as the minimum temperature increased across the Valley, officials said.

Gulmarg, Sonamarg and Gurez sector received fresh snowfall on Wednesday afternoon as intermittent snowfall continued in the other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley, they said.

The weather office said light rain or snow is expected at scattered places, especially in the higher reaches of the valley till Thursday forenoon as a fresh western disturbance hit Jammu and Kashmir otherwise, the weather will stay mainly dry till December 18.

Meanwhile, the night temperatures increased across the Valley, including Srinagar, owing to overcast skies. However, the minimum temperature continued to settle below the freezing point across the Kashmir valley.

Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius, up from the season’s lowest of minus 5.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius, an increase of three degrees from last night. Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, a huge improvement from the previous night’s minus 8.4 degrees Celsius, they said.

Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara in north Kashmir registered a minimum of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius.

While the higher reaches of Kashmir have experienced snowfall, there has been no snowfall in the plains so far this season. Kashmir is reeling under cold conditions and the Valley is bracing for the 40-day harshest winter period which will begin on December 21.