Fresh WD hits Kashmir; rain, snow predicted till April 8

Srinagar, Apr 4: The weather department has predicted another spell of wet weather in Kashmir valley during the next five days from Saturday under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), continuing the trend of back to back rain and snow.

Meanwhile, the mercury during the night improved though settled below normal at most places in the valley, where the chill revisited later in the evening on Sunday due to cloudy skies.

A Met department spokesperson told TNN that a fresh WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and approached the region through Afghanistan and Pakistan, has hit the region on Sunday. “Under the influence of this WD, light rain and thundershowers would occur on Sunday and Monday,” he said.

He said system will intensify on April 6 and would result in moderate rain, snow and thunderstorm with gusty winds (30-40 km/hour) for 48 hours in the valley.

“The system is likely to cause heavy rain and snow mainly in the upper reaches of Kashmir, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, tourist resort of Sonmarg, Baramulla, Gurez and Tulail valley in Bandipora, Karnah sector in Kupwara, Shopian, Qazigund-Banihal axis, Pirpanjal range of Jammu,” he said.

He said the weather would result in temporary disruption of surface traffic on Kashmir highway, and Sadhna top on April 6 and April 7. “There would be landslides and shooting stones on Srinagar-Jammu national highway,” he said, adding water logging would occur in low lying areas in Kashmir valley.

He said wet weather would also result in suspension of agricultural and horticultural operations.

After witnessing an improvement of 5 degrees in the night temperature, people woke up to a sunny Sunday morning in Srinagar. However, as the day progressed, the weather became cloudy, resulting in dip in the temperature. Against 2.6 degree recorded on Saturday, the night temperature in Srinagar improved and settled at 7.2 degree, which is over a degree above normal.

He said the skies would be generally cloudy to light rain during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 21 degree and 5 degree, respectively.

Bright sunshine greeted Gulmarg in the morning, much to the delight of tourists, who were enjoying different snow related activities. But, the skies turned cloudy in the ski resort, resulting in chilly weather conditions. But, the mercury in Gulmarg, which is covered under several feet of snow, improved about 4 degree from Saturday and settled at 0.5 degree, which is a degree above normal.

The mercury during the night at world famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, improved about a degree from Saturday and settled at 1 degree, which is slightly below normal.

The night temperature at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kukernag improved and settled at 4.2 degree, 2.5 degrees and 4 degrees, respectively.