Fresh snowfall in higher reaches of J-K, Ladakh

Srinagar and higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall, while rain lashed other parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the meteorological department said.

Snowfall also occurred in some parts of Ladakh, it said.

The inclement weather in most parts of the two Union territories dipped the day temperature several degrees below the season's average, an official of the MeT department said.

He said the night temperature in most parts of the region settled above average except in Leh which recorded the lowest minimum temperature of minus 7.3 degrees Celsius.

After being battered by rains since Tuesday night, snowfall started in Srinagar at around 6.15 pm, the second of the season so far, he said.

The city had recorded heavy snowfall on November 6 and 7 and is reeling under severe cold conditions since then.

The maximum temperature in Srinagar, where 23.6 mm of rainfall was recorded since Tuesday, fell to 6.1 degrees Celsius against the normal temperature of 12.1 degrees Celsius during this season, the official said.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar was 2.7 degrees Celsius.

He said the famous ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded 9.5 inches of snowfall during the day.

"Light rain and moderate snow occurred at most places of Kashmir, while moderate snowfall was reported from Zojila, Meenamarg, and some other higher reaches of Jammu and Ladakh regions," the official said.

Widespread light to moderate rain in the plains of Jammu and Kashmir and moderate to heavy snowfall on higher reaches, including Gulmarg, is very likely to continue for the next 12 hours, he said.

A significant improvement in the weather is expected from Thursday onwards followed by mostly dry weather till December 10, the official said.

A thunderstorm hit Jammu this afternoon, he said, adding that the maximum temperature in the city settled at 19.9 degrees Celsius which was 3.8 degrees below normal.

Katra recorded a maximum temperature of 17.6 degrees Celsius and a minimum of 12.2 degrees Celsius, the official said.