Season's First Snowfall Eludes Kashmir Valley's Plains

Srinagar, Jan 22 (IANS) Belying high hopes, the Kashmir Valley's plains did not get the much-awaited snowfall Thursday although there has been some in the higher reaches.

People had expectantly been waiting for the season's first snowfall, but Srinagar city and all other major towns of the Valley got nothing more than a little rain Thursday.

"There has been around 40 centimetres deep snowfall in Gulmarg, one centimetre in Pahalgam and two centimetres in Bhaderwah," said met department officials.

"Rain and snowfall is likely to occur during the next 24 hours after which the weather would start improving.

"Due to nightlong cloud cover, there was improvement in minimum temperatures across the state today (Thursday).

"The minimum temperature in Srinagar city was 1.8 degrees Celsius. It was minus 4 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg and zero degrees Celsius in Pahalgam.

"Leh town recorded minus 6.2 degrees Celsius and Kargil town minus 5 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperatures today (Thursday).

"Bannihal town in Jammu region recorded 0.5 degrees Celsius, Bhaderwah town minus 0.5 degrees Celsius, Katra town 7.6 degrees Celsius, Batote minus 0.6 degrees Celsius and Jammu city 9.3 degrees Celsius as the minimum temperatures", an official of the local met department told IANS