Srinagar, Feb 25 : The weather department on Thursday forecast scattered to fairly widespread light rain and snow over Jammu and Kashmir in next 24 hours. A meteorological department official here told news agency that scattered light rain and snow was expected for subsequent two days. Regarding temperature, he said, Srinagar recorded a low of 1.6°C, the same as on the previous night and it was above normal by 0.1°C for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 0.2°C, also the same on the previous night and it was 0.2°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 3.2°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night and it was 0.3°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of 2.5°C against 2.0°C on the previous night and it was 2.4°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 1.0°C against minus 3.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.8°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said. In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at minus 0.3°C against 0.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.3°C above normal for the north Kashmir area. Jammu recorded a low of 11.2°C against 10.2°C on the previous night. It was 0.6°C ‘below’ normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 6.4°C (above normal by 4.2°C), Batote 8.0°C (above normal by 4.5°C), Katra 11.6°C (2.1°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 3.7°C (2.9°C above normal). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 9.0°C and 12.4°C respectively, the official said. While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 and a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that followed it have ended, Kashmir is under grip of 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which ends on March 1.
