EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Apr 21: Sun played hide and seek on Wednesday though weather remains chill due to ice cold winds in the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley, where widespread light to moderate rain is predicted during the next 48 hours.
However, the night temperature improved and settled several degrees above normal across the valley.
A Met department spokesperson told that light to moderate rain and thundershowers would occur during the next 48 hours at most places in Kashmir valley under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “There is a weather prediction during this time when thundershowers and lightening with gusty winds (30-40 km/hour) would occur at isolated places,” he said.
He said the weather is expected to improve from Friday onwards.
Much to the delight of tourists, bright sunshine greeted world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, though weather remained chilly due to ice cold winds from snow-clad mountains. The ski resort, where the upper reaches are still covered under several feet of snow, was the only place in the valley where the mercury settled below normal. Against 1 degree recorded on Tuesday, the night temperature at Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, settled at 1.4 degree, which is about a degree below normal.
“The arrival of tourists has witnessed a steep decline after witnessing huge influx of visitors in the ski resort. Many booking for later this month have been cancelled due to rise in COVID-19 cases,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
However, he said tourists, who are arriving in the ski resort, are being tested for COVID-19 at Tangmarg.
After witnessing improvement in the night temperature, people in the summer capital, Srinagar, woke up to a chilly and cloudy Wednesday morning. However, as the day progressed sun played hide and seek, resulting in some improvement in the day temperature though ice cold winds continued. The night temperature in the city improved about 3 degree from Tuesday and settled at 10.4 degree, which is over 2 degree above normal.
The spokesperson said light to moderate rain and thundershowers would occur during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 15 degrees and 9 degrees, respectively.
The mercury during the night at world famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, improved about 4 degree from Tuesday and settled at 5.3 degree, which is 2 degree above normal.
The night temperature at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kokernag improved and settled at 7.4 degrees, 7.7 degrees and 5.8 degrees, respectively. |
