Srinagar, Jan 22: The Meteorological Department on Thursday forecast widespread rain and snowfall across Jammu and Kashmir over the next few days.

Director MET Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, said that Jammu and Kashmir is likely to witness generally cloudy weather with light to moderate rain and snow at most places from January 22 to 23, with the possibility of heavy rain or snowfall over a few districts of the Chenab Valley, Pir Panjal range, and parts of South Kashmir during tonight and tomorrow evening.
He said that the plains of the Kashmir may initially receive a moderate spell of rain, which is likely to be followed by light to moderate snowfall, while lower and middle reaches may witness moderate to heavy snowfall during late night or morning hours.
The MeT department has forecast light rain or snow at isolated places on January 24 and 25, while another spell of light to moderate rain or snow is expected at most places on January 26 and 27, with the possibility of moderate to heavy snowfall at a few locations during the night of January 26 to January 27.
From January 28 to 31, the weather is expected to remain partly cloudy, the Director MET said.
Issuing an advisory, the Meteorological Department warned of the possibility of heavy rain or snow accompanied by gusty winds and hailstorms over parts of the Pir Panjal range, Chenab Valley, and South Kashmir during the next 24 hours. There is also a possibility of landslides at vulnerable locations.
The authorities have been urged to remain alert and take precautionary measures in view of the predicted weather conditions.
The minimum temperature in Srinagar dropped by a degree from the previous night to settle at a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday night, officials said.
Tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district was the coldest recorded places in the valley at minus 6.1 degrees Celsius — down from minus 5.5 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The popular ski resort of Gulmarg, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius, officials said.
The Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, they said.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund settled at minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius and Kupwara minus 3.7 degrees Celsius, they added.
Kashmir Valley is currently in the midst of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, a 40-day period of extreme cold during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30.
While the higher reaches of Kashmir have received spells of snowfall, the plains of the valley have remained snowless so far this winter.