Snowfall, rains across UTs likely from today

JAMMU: After a spell of heavy weather adversities which threw life out of gear last week, the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are again likely to witness snowfall and rains for three days starting Thursday.

The meteorological department has forecast widespread snowfall in the Kashmir Valley and Ladakh from Thursday to Saturday. Jammu is also likely to witness snowfall and rains on Friday and Saturday.

“There was no let up in the cold spell in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday as several areas in the union territory recorded temperatures below the season's average,” a Met department spokesperson said.

Srinagar, which is reeling under intense cold after the season's first snowfall last week, marked the day temperature at 7.2 degrees Celsius against the previous day's 7.4 degrees Celsius, he said.

Jammu recorded a maximum of 24.1 degrees Celsius, 3.2 notches below the season's average, and a minimum of 14.0 degrees Celsius, which is 0.6 notches above average, he said.

The ski resort of Gulmarg, which recorded several feet of snowfall last week, saw a maximum of 5.4 degrees Celsius, the spokesperson said.

However, he said, the hill resort recorded a minimum of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius against the previous night's minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.

Katra, the famous town which serves as the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district, recorded a high of 22.4 degrees Celsius and a low of 12.6 degrees Celsius, he said.