Srinagar, Feb 3 (PTI) Most parts of Kashmir received fresh snowfall while rain and sleet lashed Srinagar city as the minimum temperature improved across the valley due to the precipitation overnight, officials said on Thursday.
Gulmarg and Pahalgam, tourist resorts in the north and south of the valley respectively, recorded more than six inches of fresh snowfall, while Ganderbal district received around five inches of fresh snow, the officials said.
Baramulla, Kupwara and other parts of the valley also received significant snowfall since Wednesday, they said.
Fakeer Gujri area along the Zabarwan range in Srinagar district also recorded fresh snowfall rain and sleet lashed the rest of the district last night.
The weather is expected to remain wet over the next 48 hours, officials said.
The precipitation has resulted in increase in the minimum temperature across Kashmir.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low of 0.6 degrees Celsius 2.5 degrees up from 1.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, they said.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.0 degrees Celsius up from minus 8.0 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, which also serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 1.7 degrees Celsius up from minus 6.1 degrees Celsius the previous night, they said.
Officials said Qazigund recorded the minimum of 0.2 degrees Celsius up from the previous night’s minus 1.2 degrees Celsius.
The nearby south Kashmir town of Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of 1.0 degrees Celsius.
Kashmir is currently under the influence of a 20-day-long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) which began on Monday after the Chilla-i-Kalan — the 40-day harshest winter period — ended.
Chilla-i-Kalan, which had begun on December 21 last year — is a period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the famous Dal Lake here, as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.
The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy to very heavy snowfall.
However, the ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ this year was not harsh like the last year and there was less snowfall during the period.
After the end of ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold), a 10-day-long ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) follows. However, both these periods are considered less harsh.
