Fresh snowfall in higher reaches of Kashmir Valley

Srinagar: The three-week dry spell in Kashmir ended on Thursday with snowfall in the higher reaches of the Valley and rains in the plains, officials said here.

Snowfall was recorded in Gulmarg in north Kashmir and Sonamarg in the early hours of Thursday. The weather department has forecast more snowfall during the day.

Most parts of the Valley, including Srinagar city, received light rains, they said.  The rains have ended a three-week dry spell in the Valley which has resulted in a rise in cough and cold, especially among the children and elderly. However, the weather is expected to be dry for a week from Friday.

The night temperature rose significantly at several places in the Valley with Gulmarg being the only weather station where the Mercury settled below the freezing point on Wednesday night.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, was 5.3 degrees Celsius while Qazigund recorded a low of 5 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district recorded a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius while the mercury in Gulmarg settled at minus 1 degree Celsius.