Srinagar, Feb 22 (UNI) Night temperatures plummet in Kashmir Valley, indicating cold weather conditions, as the ski resort of Gulmarg recorded a temperature of -10.4°C on Thursday, officials said.
The crucial Srinagar-Jammu national highway continues to remain closed for vehicular traffic due to landslides that occurred at a few places after it was partially restored on Wednesday.
“Restoration work is in progress at Kishtwari Pather on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway; it will take some time," a traffic official said on X.
Srinagar Leh Road also remained closed for vehicular traffic due to the accumulation of recent snowfall. The roads connecting Keran and Machil roads in Kupwara district, Anantnag Sinthan, and Mughal roads were also closed for vehicular traffic due to snowfall on Tuesday, they said.
The weather is likely to remain dry over most parts of Jammu and Kashmir till February 25, and sunny days are expected from February 23 to 25, independent weather forecaster Kashmir Weather said.
He said another Western disturbance is likely to hit on February 26 that may trigger rain and snow over Jammu and Kashmir.
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar said the minimum temperature during the intervening nights of Wednesday and Thursday in Srinagar was recorded at -1.0°C against 0.0°C. It was 1.9°C below normal for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
The day temperature was also recorded at 3.6°C, below the normal of 10.3°C on the previous day in Srinagar.
Gulmarg remained the coldest place, with a low of -10.4°C against the -9.4°C recorded the previous night. It was 3.7°C below normal for the famous ski resort of North Kashmir. It also received 1.0cm of snowfall and 1.8mm of rain during the past 24 hours until 0830 hours on Thursday.
Qazigund on Srinagar-Jammu National had a low of -4.4°C against the 0.0°C recorded a day ago, while Picnic Spot in south Kashmir’s Kokernag recorded a low of -5.4°C against the -3.4°C recorded the previous night.
The tourist hot spot of Pahalgam settled at -8.6°C against -1.6°C the previous night, and it was 4.6°C below normal for the valley of shepherds in south Kashmir.
Kupwara recorded a low of -3.1°C against -0.3°C, and it was 2.8°C below normal for the frontier north Kashmir district on Thursday, the MeT office said.
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