‘Keep warm clothes handy’: Rains bring chill back in Kashmir
MET: WEATHER IS LIKELY TO REMAIN INTERMITTENTLY WET, COLD AND OCCASIONALLY SUNNY TILL MAY 8
SRINAGAR: Continuous rains have resulted in chilly conditions in Kashmir with the region’s top weather official advising tourists to keep warm clothes handy.
After above-normal rainfall in April, May has also started on a wet note with intermittent showers prompting the day temperatures to drop.
The meteorological (MeT) department said that weather is likely to remain intermittently wet, cold and occasionally sunny till May 8. Residents have again taken out woollens while schoolchildren could be seen in blazers and coats.
“With each passing day, we are adding layers of clothes on our children,” said Shaista, mother of two school-going kids in Srinagar.
J&K MeT centre director Sonam Lotus said in the past 24-36 hours, J&K and Ladakh have witnessed continuous intermittent rains.
He said the weather is likely to remain overcast and chilly with some improvement on Thursday and Friday mornings, but will deteriorate again till May 8. “The day temperatures are expected to fall further by 3-4 degrees Celsius,” he added.
On Tuesday, Srinagar recorded a high of 21.8 degrees Celsius and a low of 10.4 degrees.
Lotus said there will be brief spells of rain and thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday evenings.
“On May 6, 7 and 8, we expect another western disturbance to hit the region,” he added. “Keep warm clothes ready. Weather is going to be cold till May 8,” he said. Lotus also advised farmers in Kashmir to avoid spraying on apple trees on May 3 and May 6 to 8.
“In Jammu, we expect fair weather from May 4 to 6, so farmers there can do harvesting and threshing of crops during this period,” he added.
The official predicted a dry weather forecast for four days starting May 9. “For the past few days, 30-40 mm rains have been recorded in J&K. Mountains have witnessed light snowfall,” he said.
As per the data provided by the MeT centre, the twin UTs collectively received 113mm of average precipitation in April against a normal of 99.5mm – registering an increase of 13%.