Fresh snowfall in parts of Kashmir, rains lash plains
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Kashmir on Thursday recorded a major spell of rain on Thursday after February, which brought the muchneeded respite from hot and dry weather.
There were widespread rains in the plains while mountainous areas saw mild snowfall, dipping the temperatures sharply. Mild rains were also recorded on Tuesday.
“It is after 50 days that we have this major spell of rainfall. Last we had received snowfall was in February. Since then, March and April have mostly remained dry,” said Mukhtar Ahmad, deputy director of meteorological department of J&K.
The winter as well as spring this year had mostly recorded relatively less precipitation.
In the last week of February, the Valley had seen a spell of widespread snowfall and after that, no major rains were witnessed.
“We have experienced 80% deficit rains this year,” Ahmad said.
“The deficiency was due to the absence of any strong western disturbance or the winds blowing from the Mediterranean bringing moisture.the cities of Jammu and Srinagar were also largely dry this year, though the phenomenon was nothing new,” he added.
“The snowfall was recorded in north Kashmir’s Machil, Kupwara and central Kashmir’s Sonmarg besides Ladakh’s Drass areas,” Ahmad said.
Meteorologist Mohammad Hussain Mir said the wet weather is expected to continue on Friday as well, though with lesser intensity.
“We might get 50% less rain tomorrow than what we experienced today. From Saturday, the weather might improve for a few days,” Mir said.
Another feeble weather system is expected to hit the Himalayan region on Monday.
“Jammu region is expected to see a respite from the heat from Friday afternoon onwards,” said a MET official.
Meanwhile, Indian Army on Thursday rescued 16 people who were stranded amid heavy snowfall at Sinthan Pass of Kishtwar district in Jammu and Kashmir.