After a day-long wet spell, the weather conditions improved in Jammu & Kashmir on Friday while the weatherman has predicted dry and cloudy weather till December 10.
Several areas of Kashmir, including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Sinthan Top, Keran and others received a fresh snowfall yesterday after a weak Western Disturbance affected J&K from November 29. The plains of Kashmir were also lashed by light and intermittent rainfall.
However, the weather improved significantly while the minimum temperature at maximum places settled above the freezing point.
Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad said that from December 2 till December 07, the weather is expected to remain mostly cloudy while from December 08-December 10, partly to generally cloudy is expected during the period.
Moreover, the night temperatures across Kashmir settled above the freezing point with Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recording a minimum temperature of 4.5 degree Celsius.
In Qazigund, the mercury settled at 2.2 degree Celsius while in Pahalgam, it settled at 0.5 degree Celsius. MeT officials said Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort, was the coldest where the minimum temperature settled at minus 1.8 degree Celsius.
Nonetheless, Kupwara and Kokernag stations of Kashmir have recorded a minimum temperature of 2.6 degree Celsius and 2.0 degree Celsius respectively.
Director MeT has, however, predicted a dip in the minimum temperature, saying that fall in minimum temperature by 3-5 degree Celsius is expected from December 02 onwards.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority has issued an avalanche warning above 2800 meters in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district in view of the recent rain and snowfall in the upper reaches.
An official said that an avalanche with low danger level is likely to occur above 2800 meters above sea level in Kupwara district in the next 24 hours. He said that people living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing out in the avalanche prone areas till further orders.