Fresh snowfall blankets Kashmir's higher reaches amid unusually warm winter

Fresh snowfall blanketed several areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir with the Meteorological department forecasting light to moderate precipitation at most places over the next 24 hours, officials said on Wednesday.

Owing to a cloud cover, the night temperatures remained higher than the seasonal average and settled above the freezing point at most places, the officials said.

Despite the fresh snow, the valley continues to experience an unusually warm winter, with temperatures remaining three to seven degrees above the seasonal average, the MeT officials said.

They said parts of North Kashmir, including Gurez in Bandipora, Gulmarg in Baramulla and Macchil in Kupwara, experienced fresh snowfall, with reports of light to moderate snowfall in higher reaches as well.

The MeT office has said there is a possibility of light to moderate rain/snow at most places during Wednesday night to Thursday forenoon. A few higher reaches/extreme higher reaches of north and central Kashmir may receive moderate to heavy snowfall, it added.

There is a possibility of a brief spell of light rain/snow over isolated places on Friday as well, it said. On Tuesday night, Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees Celsius, which is 4.9 degrees Celsius above the normal for this time of year, they said.

Gulmarg remained the coldest location in the region with the mercury settling at minus 3.0 degrees Celsius, officials said. The night temperature remained almost three degrees above the usual temperature.

In south Kashmir, Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius -- seven degrees above the normal temperature, and Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, saw the mercury settle at 1.4 degrees Celsius.

The region is currently going through 'Chilla-e-Kalan', a 40-day period of extreme cold. During this phase, night temperatures typically drop between three and eight degrees below the freezing point. However, current readings show a departure from normal patterns.