No respite from dry weather in Kashmir; Met Department predicts extension until February 18th

The MeT has predicted dry weather till February 17, while another spell of snow may hit the Kashmir Valley between February 18 to 20

The day temperatures improved further across Kashmir valley on Sunday with mercury climbing 4 to 5 degrees above normal, the meteorological centre in Srinagar said.

Srinagar residents woke up to a sunny day and the maximum temperature went up to 14.5° C, around 5 degrees above normal. “This was the highest day temperature in the city since January 14 when the mercury had climbed to 14.6° C owing to dry weather conditions in January,” a MeT official said.

However, the nights continue to remain severely cold with the capital city experiencing a minimum of -4.7 degree celsius, some 5 notches below normal.

South Kashmir’s Qazigund also witnessed a hotter-than-usual day with a maximum temperature of 14.4° C, while north Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara recorded 13.7° C, 4.9 notches above normal. “The minimum in Qazigund and Kupwara was -4.4 and -4.3 degree Celsius respectively,” the MeT official added.

The southern Pahalgam tourist town was the coldest during the night at -7.9° C, while the mercury settled at 10.2° C in the region during the day, 3.8 degree above normal.

The ski resort town of Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of -6.5° C and a maximum temperature of 6.5° C in the day.

The MeT has predicted dry weather till February 17, while another spell of snow may hit the region between February 18 to 20. “There is a possibility of light to moderate snow and rain,” the MeT official said.

After a prolonged dry and warm winter, the Kashmir valley witnessed widespread snowfall and rain last week. The valley is passing through the second and moderate phase of winter called Chillai Khurd after the harshest 40-day period ended on January 29 with warm and dry days.