The mercury dipped below the freezing point for the first time this season at the tourist resort of Gulmarg, as rains and snowfall in the upper reaches led to a sharp fall in night temperatures across Kashmir.
The minimum temperature at Zojila Pass, connecting Kashmir valley to the union Territory of Ladakh, dropped to minus 8.0 degree celsius.
According to the Meteorological Centre Srinagar, the famous ski resort Gulmarg in Baramulla district recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.4 degree celsius and received 37.4 mm of rainfall in the last 24 hours.
The hill resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of 0.6 degree celsius, 4.5 degree celsius below normal, and received 52.6 mm of rainfall with a snow depth of 3 cm.
Kupwara in north Kashmir registered 22.7 mm of rainfall with a minimum temperature of 6 degree celsius.
In Srinagar, the summer capital, the night temperature settled at 7.1 degree celsius, 1.9 degree celsius below normal, as it received 24.9 mm of rain in the past 24 hours.
Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded the highest rainfall in the Valley during the past 24 hours, receiving 70.4 mm of precipitation, while the minimum temperature settled at 4.3 degree celsius.
An independent weather observer said that the minimum temperature at Zojila Pass plunged to minus 8.0 degree celsius, marking one of the season’s coldest nights so far. The area received around six inches of fresh snowfall, with a current snow depth of five inches, accompanied by winds blowing at 6 kmph.
The observer also noted that Daksum in south Kashmir recorded a snow depth of one to two inches.
He said mostly dry weather is expected across Jammu and Kashmir today.
Apart from the possibility of a short shower in a few spots, dry weather is expected to dominate across J&K until October 20
