Srinagar receives season's first major snowfall

Srinagar: Srinagar city today witnessed the season's first major snowfall along with the rest of Kashmir, bringing respite from the prevailing chill as the mercury settled above the freezing point in most places of the valley for the first time in the last fortnight.

The plains of the valley also received light snowfall accompanied by rains with Srinagar experiencing the first major snowfall of the season, according to a MeT Department official.

The snowfall in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir began in the morning and it received 2.8 mm of rainfall during the night, the official said, adding the minimum temperature here went up by nearly five degrees to settle above the freezing point at 2.2 degrees Celsius.

Most of the higher reaches of the valley, including the twin resorts of Gulmarg and Pahalgam, received moderate snowfall during the night, while the plains have experienced snow since the morning, the official said.

While Gulmarg- the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, received over seven inches of fresh snowfall till 8:30 AM this morning, more than one inch of snow was recorded in the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south, he added.

However, the twin resorts were the only places in the valley where the mercury stayed below the freezing point, he said.

The mercury in Pahalgam went up by six notches to settle at minus 0.4 degree Celsius, and Gulmarg registered a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, he added.

Reports of moderate snowfall were also received from higher reaches of Shopian, including Mughal Road, Sonamarg, Yousmarg, Amarnath Cave, Sadhna Pass, Gurez and Razdan top.

Keeping with the trend, mercury increased in other places in the valley as well with Qazigund, Kupwara and Kokernag registering the temperatures of 2.4 degree Celsius, 1.4 degrees Celsius and 1.6 degrees Celsius, respectively.

Leh, in the frontier region of Ladakh, recorded a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius- an increase of nearly five degrees from the previous night's minus 12.6 degrees Celsius. Nearby Kargil town was recorded as the coldest place in the state with a low of minus 9 degrees Celsius. The town had registered a low of minus 15 degrees Celsius the previous night.

The MeT Department has said the higher reaches of the valley would receive moderate snowfall over the two days while light snowfall would be experienced in the plains.

Kashmir valley is currently under the grip of Chillai Kalan - the 40 day harsh winter period which began on December 21 and during which the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum.

Chillai-Kalan ends on January 31, but the cold wave usually continues even after that. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold).