Brace for snowfall, rain in coming week in J&K: Weatherman

After a week of dry and unusually warm weather in the harshest winter period—Chillai Kalan—in Kashmir, the weather office has predicted upcoming cloudy weather with chances of intermittent light to moderate snowfall for the upcoming seven days.

- HT Correspondents

SRINAGAR:

The meteorological centre in Srinagar said that there was a possibility of light snow at isolated higher reaches from Tuesday night.

"Fresh spell of light rain and snow is likely at scattered to fairly widespread places during January 29 and 30 morning and also at isolated places during Jan 31," said MeT director Mukhtar Ahmad in an update.

Kashmir is passing through its annual harshest 40-day winter period—Chillai Kalan—which will end by January 30. The Chillai Kalan began on a tough note last month with mercury dropping to -6 to 12 degree Celsius across various parts of Kashmir. The summer capital Srinagar witnessed cold waves for several days which froze water bodies especially Dal Lake, water pipes and other water sources. There were at least three brief snow spells in these days.

However, the past one week Srinagar and other parts of the Valley are observing warmer days and colder nights. The day temperature at most of the weather stations is above normal.

The MeT said a heavy snow spell is expected on February 1 and 2 which will mark the start of the second phase of winter called Chillai Khurd (moderate cold) which ends in another 20 days.