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Tribune News Service
Srinagar, January 8
As bitter winter continues in the Kashmir valley, another spell of snowfall is likely in the region and is expected to begin later this week.
The meteorological department in its forecast bulletin on Tuesday said fairly widespread rain and snowfall was expected in the Kashmir valley for three days, beginning from Thursday evening.
A fresh western disturbance “is very likely to cause fairly widespread rain and snowfall” from Thursday evening till Sunday. “Peak activity is likely on January 12, when heavy rain and snow are likely at isolated places over Jammu and Kashmir,” it said.
The expected snowfall later this week will be the fifth such spell since November’s first week, when a rare autumnal snowfall had marked the early arrival of winter in the region.
Sonam Lotus, director of Srinagar Meteorological Centre, said they were monitoring the situation and were yet to decide on issuing an advisory. “So far it appears that it will be of lower magnitude than the previous spell,” he said.
The previous spell last week had led to heavy snowfall at most places across the Kashmir valley and also caused large-scale disruption of surface and air traffic.
The Kashmir valley has received large-scale precipitation during the ongoing winter, a major change from previous years when delayed snow had led to water crisis and drought during summer months.
The ongoing winter has also been exceptionally cold as mercury has dropped to record-low levels. The overnight temperatures across the Kashmir valley registered a slight rise even as they settled several degrees below freezing point.
Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir was the only exception with temperature plummeting to -9°Celsius. In Srinagar, where mercury has previously dropped to the lowest of the decade, the overnight temperature was recorded at a low of -2°C.