Farmers are busy tending to their fields and orchards while flowers have started to bloom earlier this year due to summer-like weather in Kashmir valley, where Asia’s largest Tulip garden will be thrown open for the general public in the next fortnight.

Meanwhile, the night temperature dipped though settled above normal in the valley, where another spell of snow and rain is predicted over the weekend.

A Met department spokesperson said that the weather will remain mainly dry in the valley.

However, he said a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region though Afghanistan and Pakistan, will hit the region on Saturday.

“The system created by this WD is expected to be strong and could result in light to moderate snowfall at most places in the valley over the weekend,” he added.

He said a weather warning has been issued for Sunday, when heavy rain, snow, thunderstorm and hail could occur at isolated places in Kashmir.

The summer capital, Srinagar was the only place in the valley where the night temperature improved and settled about 2 degree above normal. People woke up to a chilly Friday morning in Srinagar.

However, as the day progressed, bright sunshine greeted people, resulting in major improvement in the day temperature in the city, where people were seen basking in the sun in parks, balconies and open fields.

The maximum temperature recorded on Thursday in the city was 6 degree above normal.

Preparations to open Asia’s largest Tulip garden on the bank of world famous Dal Lake was going on war footing with gardeners attending to the tulip buds.

The Tulip Garden, which is spread over 30 hectares of land and situated in the mesmerizing foothills of the Zabarwan hills, remains open every year for over one month in April as the life span of tulips are very short.

The garden, which otherwise attracts lakhs of tourists -- including national and international visitors -- wore a deserted look last year as all gardens and parks was closed by government to combat COVID-19.

Meanwhile, farmers were also seen tenders to their fields in the valley, where pesticides and insecticides were being strayed on fruit trees earlier this year due to major improvement in the weather condition.

Much to the delight of tourists, the weather on Friday remained pleasant at Gulmarg, which received heavy snowfall last week. Gulmarg, which is known for its ski slopes are quality of snow, is witnessed huge rush of tourists.

The ski resort was the only place in the valley where the night temperature settled below freezing point. Against minus 1 degree recorded on Thursday, the night temperature in Gulmarg settled at minus 2.4 degree, which is 2 degree above normal.

“Tourists were enjoying different snow related activities on a sunny Friday in the ski resort,” a hotelier from Gulmarg said.

The night temperature at world famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, dipped about 2 degree from Thursday and settled at minus 0.3 degree, which is 2 degree above normal. The weather during the day remained pleasant in the resort due to sunshine.

The mercury at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kukernag settled at 2.3 degree, 1 degree and 3.1 degree, respectively.