Srinagar: Light snowfall has started in Srinagar, Ganderbal and other parts of Valley on Friday evening even as night temperatures rose slightly in Valley.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar recorded a maximum of 3.7 degree Celsius, more than three degrees below normal for this time of the year, while low settle at minus 0.7 degree Celsius.
The famous hill resort of Pahalgam recorded a maximum of 1.4 degree Celsius while Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded day temperature of 3.4 degrees Celsius while Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a maximum of 1.6 degrees Celsius.
The MeT official told GNS the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir saw a maximum of minus 1.0 degrees Celsius and minimum of minus 10.0 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a maximum of 4.8 degrees Celsius and a low of minus 2.8 degree Celsius, the official said.
Reports said that light snowfall has started in Srinagar and Ganderbal district of central Kashmir and some other parts of the Valley.
The weatherman has already issued an advisory for “moderate to heavy snowfall” in the Valley from the weekend.
“An active Western Disturbance is most likely affect the state of J&K and adjoining areas from January 19 to 25. There would be high moisture feeding from the Arabian Sea over northwest India specifically over Western Himalayan Region (WHR) from January 20 to 24,” reads an advisory issued here by the meteorological department.
“Under the influence of this system, moderate to heavy snow/rain( in plains of Jammu region) is expected at widespread places of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh region. Light snowfall would commence at a few places of Kashmir on January 19th forenoon and increase in intensity and distribution thereafter,” it says, adding, “The main activity of this system (heavy to very heavy with isolated very heavy rain/snow) is most likely during January 20 to 23 and gradual decrease thereafter.”
As per the advisory, the weather system may lead to disruption of surface and air transportation like Srinagar-Jammu highway.
“It may lead to disruption of surface and air transportation like national highway (Srinagar-Jammu) and other major roads of the state,” it says.
The advisory says that “heavy precipitation” may cause avalanches in higher reaches, landslide, water logging in low lying areas.”
“Farmers are advised to take all precautionary measures to avoid loses due to heavy snow and rain”.
The weatherman also forecasts a significant fall in day temperature and a slight rise in night temperature during the day. (GNS)