Rain, snow drag temperatures down

Srinagar, Apr 5: Widespread rain in the plains and fresh snowfall in higher reaches have pushed temperatures below normal across Jammu and Kashmir over the past three days, even as the Meteorological Department (MeT) forecast another wet spell from April 7 to 9.

Day and night temperatures dropped across Jammu and Kashmir.

Srinagar recorded a maximum of 16.3 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 17.3 degrees Celsius on Sunday, both below normal.

The minimum temperature settled at 7.6 degrees Celsius, about a degree below normal.

Pahalgam recorded a maximum of 10.2 degrees Celsius on Saturday, rising to 14.2 degrees Celsius on Sunday, while the minimum settled at 4.2 degrees Celsius, also below normal.

In Gulmarg, the maximum temperature hovered around 5.3 degrees Celsius and 5.4 degrees Celsius, with the minimum dipping to minus 0.2 degrees Celsius.

Kupwara, Kokernag, and Qazigund also reported a drop in daytime temperatures.

In the Jammu division, Jammu city on Sunday recorded a maximum of 30.1 degrees Celsius, while Banihal recorded 19.2 degrees Celsius, Batote 17.1 degrees Celsius, and Bhaderwah 15.8 degrees Celsius experienced cooler conditions following rainfall.

According to MeT data, Srinagar recorded 25.1 mm of rainfall, Qazigund 18.8 mm, Pahalgam 12 mm, Kupwara 14.1 mm, Kokernag 12.8 mm, and Gulmarg 32.2 mm in the past two days.

In the Jammu region, Ramban recorded 24 mm, Batote 53.8 mm, Poonch 45.5 mm, Rajouri 61 mm, Jammu 14.4 mm, Reasi 34.5 mm, Katra 32.2 mm, Bhaderwah 26.8 mm, and Banihal 19.7 mm.

Higher-altitude areas and key passes, including Zojila, Sinthan Top, Margan Top, Mughal Road, Sadhna Top, and Razdan Top, received fresh snowfall, disrupting traffic movement.

Several roads, including Mughal Road, Kokernag-Sinthan Top road, Gawran-Margan Top road, and the Bandipora-Gurez road remained closed due to snow accumulation.

Light to moderate snowfall was also reported from Sonamarg, Gulmarg, and the twin Chenab Valley areas of Marwa and Warwan in Kishtwar district.

Traffic movement was also affected on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway due to landslides and shooting stones triggered by heavy rains-particularly on the Banihal-Ramban stretch.

Director Meteorological Centre, Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad said weather conditions would remain unstable due to successive Western Disturbances till April 10.

“April 6 is expected to remain partly cloudy with light rain at isolated places,” Ahmad said. “Another major Western Disturbance from April 7 to 9 will bring fresh spells of widespread rains and snowfall in higher reaches, along with thunder and gusty winds at many places.”

He said light rain or snow is likely at isolated places on April 10 and 11, followed by generally dry and cloudy weather from April 12 to 15.

The MeT warned of thunderstorms, hailstorms, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 40 to 50 kph between April 7 and 8.

“Intense showers for brief periods from April 7 onwards may lead to flash floods, landslides at vulnerable places and waterlogging in low-lying areas,” the department said.

The recent precipitation follows an exceptionally dry winter.

February was particularly dry and warm until the wet spells, which began around March 10 with back-to-back feeble and strong Western disturbances, brought relief

Between November and February, the region recorded just 106.7 mm of precipitation against a normal of 320.1 mm, a deficit of 67 percent, categorised as “large deficient.”

Although multiple western disturbances brought rainfall in March, the month still ended below normal.

“In March, J&K received 100.7 mm rainfall against a normal of 115.9 mm,” a MeT official said.

Srinagar recorded 88.5 mm against a normal of 115 mm, a 23 percent deficit, while Jammu recorded 52.4 mm against 92.3 mm, a sharper shortfall of 43 percent.

Across Kashmir, several districts reported significant deficiencies, including Anantnag with 47 percent, Budgam 44 percent, Bandipora 35 percent, Pulwama 25 percent and Kupwara 20 percent.

The shortfall was more severe in Kulgam with 61 percent and Shopian 74 percent.

In the Jammu division, Kathua witnesses a shortfall of 62, Udhampur 51 percent, Doda 52 percent, Ramban 38 percent, Kishtwar 37 percent, and Reasi 36 percent.

However, Poonch recorded 207.3 mm rainfall, 26 pervent above normal, while Samba reported a 39 percent excess. Baramulla witnessed a shortfall of 13 percent, Rajouri 7 percent, and Ganderbal and excess of 10.

Officials said March and April are typically the wettest months in the region and expressed hope for improved precipitation.

“We hope April brings adequate precipitation,” an official said.

Ahmad said the recent rainfall has helped break a prolonged dry spell that was witnessed in winters.

“This has replenished glaciers and recharged water bodies while also bringing relief to farmers,” he said. “However, the overall deficit remains large.”

“The deficit from November to March is over 65 percent and falls in the ‘large deficient’ category,” he said. “It is premature to say whether April will end without a deficit, but we remain hopeful.”