Srinagar: Light rain and snow lashed the plains and hills of Kashmir on Sunday and the Meteorological Center has predicted the weather pattern to continue today.
Rain started in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley later in the afternoon while snowfall occurred in the upper areas.
MeT has predicted light to moderate snowfall in plains and moderate snowfall in hilly areas from the evening of December 26. It said the prevailing weather conditions would continue till December 28.
Light to moderate snow (2-3 inches) over the plains and moderate snow (5-6 inches) at higher elevations are most likely from tonight to tomorrow (27th evening/night). An official said that there could be snowfall of up to a foot at some places at higher altitudes.
There is no chance of any major snowfall except at a few places in the higher reaches, the official said.
This is the first snowfall in Chillai Kalan, which is the harshest period of 40 days, when water bodies and water tapes are more likely to freeze.
Meanwhile, except for Kokernag and Pahalgam, the valley recorded a drop in the minimum temperature on Saturday night, officials said.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.8 degrees Celsius on Saturday night, down from 1.7 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, was minus 1.2 degrees Celsius, he said.
Kokernag, a nearby town in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.3 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam, which serves as the base camp for the annual Amarnath Yatra, recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3.8 degrees Celsius, up from minus 5.1 degrees Celsius the previous night.
