*Rains drench plain areas of Kashmir and Jammu
SRINAGAR, Nov 10: Upper reaches of Kashmir Valley including Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam received fresh snowfall while intermittent rains lashed plains, bringing mercury level down by several notches across Jammu and Kashmir on Friday.
A local news gathering agency GNS quoting a meteorological department official said that in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours this morning, Srinagar received 17.5 mm of rain, Qazigund 12.0 mm, Pahalgam 6.4mm, Kupwara 29.8, Kokernag 5.8 mm, Gulmarg 22.2 mm (also 10.4 cm of snow), Jammu 42.0 mm, Banihal 21.4 mm, Batote 17.2 mm, Bhaderwah 3.6 mm, Katra 33.4 mm, and Kathua 0.0 mm. There were reports of snowfall at Sadhana Top, Phirkhiyan Gali Keran and Machil Kupwara as well as Bandipora district’s Razdan Top.
The MeT office has forecast “widespread rains in plains and snowfall over higher reaches till afternoon.
Thereafter, the MeT office said, there will be “gradual decrease in precipitation from late afternoon onwards.”
“From November 11-17, the weather is going to be mainly dry and days will be warmer”.
Regarding temperature, the MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a low of 6.3°C and it was around 4°C above normal for the summer capital.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 4.7°C against and it was 6°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of 6.2°C and it was 4°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Jammu recorded a low of 13.8°C and it was normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.
Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 6.0°C (below normal by 1.0°C), Batote 6.6°C (above normal by 3.0°C), Katra 11.5°C (1.0°C below normal) and Bhadarwah 7.8°C (3°C above normal). The alternate roads between Jammu region and Kashmir Valley particularly Poonch-Shopian Mughal Road and Sinthan Pass between Kishtwar and Anantnag have already been closed due to heavy snowfall on the high passes. No vehicular movement is being allowed on these two roads.
