Light snowfall in Gurez sector breaks dry spell in Valley

The prolonged dry spell in the Valley was broken as Gurez sector in Bandipora district received light snowfall overnight even as minimum temperatures rose a few notches in several places, officials said on Saturday.
Due to arrival of weak Western Disturbance this light snowfall was recorded in Gurez, Drass and other upper reaches of the Valley. However, prominent tourist places across Kashmir like Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg and Doudepathri are still under the dry spell. Srinagar city and other places in Kashmir witnessed bright sunshine, the city recorded 15°C in the day which is 8 degrees above normal.
From past few days Srinagar and other places are observing above normal day temperature. “Due to prolonged dry spells, the maximum temperature at many stations recorded 6-8°C above normal with highest maximum temperature recorded over Banihal station (20.8°C), Srinagar (15°C), while Jammu recorded (8.9°C) on January 13,” MeT director Mukhtar Ahmad said adding today was the second highest maximum temperature during the month of January in the last 50 years. “The all time record is 17.2°C on January 23, 1902.”
As per the MeT department data on January 23, 2003, temperature of 15.1°C was recorded; on January 9, 1976, 15.5°C was recorded and on January 31, 2001, 15.7°C was recorded. On January 25, 2010 15.8°C and on 23 January 1902, 17. 2°C temperature was recorded.
Meanwhile, MeT office today said dry weather was likely to continue till January 23 with feeble Western Disturbance approaching on January 16 and 20 evening.
“Under the influence of these WDs, Generally cloudy weather with light snow over isolated higher reaches is expected. From January 21-23, there will be generally dry weather,” the MeT office said in its bulletin adding that redevelopment of fog with cold day conditions from tomorrow onwards till January 16 over plains of Jammu division.
The month of December and January so far has recorded deficit precipitation in J&K with most of the plains and lower mountainous areas are still without any major snowfall.
The meteorological department said that the day temperature hovered around a maximum of 15°C (8 notices above normal) on Saturday in Kashmir’s Srinagar.
The southern Pahalgam tourist resort was also freezing at -0.6°C. The ski resort of Gulmarg in the north recorded temp of -1°C around 7 degrees above the normal.
The meteorological update said the gateway to Kashmir in South Kashmir, Qazigund recorded a minimum of -2°C while the southern area of Kokernag observed a minimum of -1.2°C. In North Kashmir, Kupwara recorded a low of -0.3 C.