Kashmir braces for snow, rain

Srinagar, Jan 21: Back-to-back Western Disturbances are set to affect Jammu and Kashmir from Thursday, likely to bring widespread rain and snowfall across the region, even as minimum temperatures across the Valley showed some improvement on Wednesday compared with the previous night, offering slight relief from the intense cold.

Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said the first Western Disturbance is likely to affect J&K between January 22 and 24, with peak activity expected on January 23.

According to officials, a second Western Disturbance is expected to impact the region from the night of January 26 through January 28, peaking on January 27.

They said that under both systems, heavy rain and snowfall are most likely over the Pir Panjal range, including the Chenab Valley in Jammu division, as well as the middle and higher reaches of south Kashmir.

In Srinagar, the minimum temperature rose to minus 2.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday from 3.4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while at Srinagar Airport it improved to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius from minus 4.4 degrees Celsius, indicating a slight moderation in nocturnal cold in the summer capital.

Similar trends were observed in several other areas.

Qazigund recorded minus 3.3 degrees Celsius, down from minus 2.3 degrees Celsius a day earlier, while Kupwara cooled to minus 3 degrees Celsius compared with minus 1.2 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, bucking the general warming trend.

Kokernag slipped back into sub-zero territory at minus 0.6 degrees Celsius, after recording 0.6 degrees Celsius the previous night.

However, south Kashmir continued to experience harsh conditions.

Anantnag recorded minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, only slightly better than minus 4.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while Pulwama improved to minus 4.9 degrees Celsius from minus 5.5 degrees Celsius.

Shopian saw temperatures plunge further to minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, compared with minus 4.8 degrees Celsius a day earlier.

The coldest conditions persisted in higher reaches.

Ski resort Gulmarg recorded minus 5 degrees Celsius, slightly warmer than minus 5.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, while Sonamarg remained bitterly cold at minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, up from minus 6.2 degrees Celsius the previous night.

In north Kashmir, Baramulla recorded minus 1.9°C, a marginal rise from minus 2.1 degrees Celsius, while Bandipora showed mixed readings, with temperatures hovering between minus 1.5 degrees Celsius and minus 0.4 degrees Celsius, compared with lows of minus 2.9 degrees Celsius to minus 1.7 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

Ganderbal also saw a rise to minus 0.9 degrees Celsius from minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Data for Kulgam was unavailable on Wednesday; the district had recorded 1.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday.

In the winter capital Jammu, minimum temperatures remained largely stable, edging down slightly to 7.2 degrees Celsius on Wednesday from 7.4 degrees Celsius the previous night.