EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Jan 19:
Kashmir’s long dry spell is likely to end next week as the Meteorological (MeT) department on Friday predicted wet weather from January 25. MeT director Mukhtar Ahmad said the wet phase is likely to begin from Thursday as light snow is expected at isolated higher reaches on January 25. For the next two days- from January 26 -28, light rain or snow is expected over scattered places, he said. “From January 29-31, as per indications of different models, the possibility of light to moderate rain/snow at many places is very likely,” he added.
The Kashmir Valley is currently grappling with an alarming situation due to prolonged dry spell and the absence of rainfall and snowfall has triggered alarm bells among the residents and the government in the region. The 40-day long period of harsh winter cold known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’ is ending on January 30 and so far, there has been no major snowfall anywhere in the Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperatures dropped further last night. The MeT official said Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius as against minus 4.6 degrees Celsius during the previous night.
Pulwama at minus 6.9 degrees Celsius was the coldest place in Kashmir The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.3 degrees, while Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 1.4 degrees Celsius. Qazigund, in south Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 5 degrees Celsius
In North Kashmir, the mercury plunged in the ski resort of Gulmarg to a low of -3.6°C and Kupwara recorded -5 °C.
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