Light snowfall in the higher reaches of Kashmir and parts of the Jammu region has led to a significant drop in temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Tuesday.
Under the influence of a feeble western disturbance, light snowfall was recorded in several high-altitude areas, including Mughal Road, Sinthan Top, Pir Panjal hills of south Kashmir, and upper reaches of Ganderbal district. Several inches of snow have accumulated in some of these areas, while snowfall continued in parts of the Pir Panjal range late Tuesday evening.
An official of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said there is a possibility of light snowfall over isolated higher reaches of north, south, and central Kashmir during the day. “After that, the weather is likely to remain dry but cloudy till January 20,” the official said, adding that temperatures are expected to fall further till January 10, followed by a rise of 1–2 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg, the famous ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded the coldest night temperature in the region at minus 8.6 degrees Celsius. Srinagar registered a minimum temperature of minus 4 degrees Celsius, slightly lower than the previous night’s minus 3.6 degrees Celsius.
Other minimum temperatures recorded across the Valley included minus 6.8 degrees Celsius at Pahalgam, minus 3 degrees Celsius at Qazigund, minus 2 degrees Celsius at Kokernag, and minus 3.1 degrees Celsius at Kupwara.
Despite the cold nights, day temperatures remained above the freezing point. Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius, Qazigund 8.6 degrees, Pahalgam 5.6 degrees, Kupwara 11 degrees, Kokernag 5.8 degrees, and Gulmarg 1.6 degrees Celsius.
In the winter capital Jammu, night temperatures witnessed a sharp fall, with the minimum dropping to 5.2 degrees Celsius from 8.7 degrees Celsius recorded on Monday. The maximum temperature stood at 15.4 degrees Celsius, about 2.6 degrees below the normal for the day.
Katra recorded a minimum temperature of 4.8 degrees Celsius and a maximum of 17.6 degrees. Bhaderwah registered a low of minus 2.2 degrees and a high of 10.5 degrees Celsius, while Banihal recorded a minimum of 1.5 degrees and a maximum of 10.9 degrees Celsius. Batote registered temperatures between 1.7 and 10.4 degrees Celsius.
Other areas of the Jammu region also witnessed low night temperatures, with Rajouri recording 0 degrees Celsius, Poonch 2.3 degrees, Doda 3.1 degrees, Kishtwar 2.2 degrees, Ramban 2.7 degrees, and Udhampur 4.5 degrees Celsius.
Jammu and adjoining plains remained under fog conditions, though sunshine during the day improved visibility after 11 a.m. Flight operations at Jammu Airport improved compared to the previous day, with only four flights arriving late, while all scheduled flights operated. Train services also showed improvement due to moderate fog conditions in the northern region.
The Kashmir Valley is currently experiencing Chilla-e-Kalan, the 40-day harshest phase of winter marked by extreme cold and frequent snowfall. However, the plains of the Valley have yet to receive any snowfall so far this season.
