Srinagar– The weather department on Monday predicted widespread rain and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir between December 5 and 7 that could possibly disrupt traffic on highways.
An official of the Meteorological Department (MeT) said that a western disturbance (WD) is most likely to affect J&K during December 5-7 due to which widespread light to moderate snowfall and rain in plains is expected.
“Some places on higher reaches (above 2000m) may receive heavy snow( 1-2 ft) whereas plains are likely to receive 2-3 inches of snow,” he said.
“There is possibility of disruption of traffic over passes like Zojila, Sinthan Top, Razdan Top and Mughal Road due to snowfall and freezing temperatures,” he added
A WD is an extra tropical storm in the Mediterranean Sea that causes widespread rain and snowfall in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh.
J&K and Ladakh have been reeling under cold wave conditions during the last few days.
Any precipitation in the coming days is likely to break the existing cold spell.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at most places in Kashmir valley settled several degrees below the freezing point, officials said.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.1 degrees Celsius on Sunday night, down from minus 0.2 degrees Celsius the previous night, the officials said.
They said Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district also recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir settled at a low of minus 1.6 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund recorded minus 2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.5 degrees Celsius.
The MET Office has said the weather will most likely remain dry but cold till December 3.
The wintry conditions in the valley set-in much ahead of the beginning of extreme harsh weather conditions which usually start around the third week of December.
‘Chillai Kalan’, the 40-day period of harsh winter in Kashmir, begins on December 21 every year. (With PTI inputs)
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