The prolonged dry spell in Kashmir is likely to end just before Chille Kalan, as the Meteorological Department forecasts snow in the mountains and rain in the plains. This weather change comes after nearly two weeks of dry conditions.
Officials from the Meteorological Department indicated that the weather from December 18 to 19 will trend partly to generally cloudy, with isolated higher regions in North and Central Kashmir seeing very light snowfall.
A noted change is expected from the night of December 20 to 21, as a significant western disturbance moves in. This system may bring light to moderate snowfall across higher reaches of the Kashmir division and light to moderate rain in various plains of Jammu and Kashmir.
The weather forecast suggests that December 22 will likely present generally cloudy conditions, with scattered light rain or snowfall. The weather will continue to be partly to generally cloudy from December 23 to 29, reflecting a notable shift in the climatic pattern. Additionally, on December 30 and 31, forecasters predict generally cloudy weather with a chance of light snowfall in isolated higher reaches.
Snowfall Advisory Issued: The MeT Department has issued a caution that some higher elevations, especially in the districts of Kupwara, Bandipora, and Ganderbal, may experience moderate to heavy snowfall on December 21. The advisory encourages both travellers and transporters to plan their journeys accordingly while adhering to any traffic or administrative advisories.
Current Temperature Trends: Concurrently, temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir have edged above normal levels recently. In Srinagar, the recorded maximum temperature stood at 10.6°C, which is about 1.2°C above the seasonal average. The minimum dipped to 0.2°C. Regions like Gulmarg registered a maximum of 8.8°C, close to 4°C above normal, while the minimum temperature reached 1.6°C.
Kupwara in north Kashmir reported a maximum temperature of 10.8°C with minimums at -1.0°C. Pahalgam exhibited a mild 11.2°C and a minimum of 0.4°C, while Qazigund recorded 13.0°C during the day and 0.8°C overnight. In the Jammu region, the city of Jammu experienced a maximum temperature of 22.3°C alongside a minimum of 11.0°C.
Interestingly, the MeT Department confirmed that no rainfall occurred at any station in the last 24 hours, solidifying the need for the expected precipitation. This weather development promises to break the dry spell and replenish the region’s moisture balance before the rigor of winter fully sets in.
