The Kashmir region is likely to receive the season’s first snow tomorrow, according to a forecast issued by the Meteorological Department.
The department said widespread downpour was expected on Monday, fairly widespread downpour on Tuesday and isolated downpour on Wednesday in the Kashmir region.
It, however, warned of scattered but heavy snowfall on Monday in the region, which will be the first this season.
The state government, in the past week, had reviewed the winter preparedness and had asked the administration to gear up to provide essential services on uninterrupted basis during the anticipated snowfall.
The administration has placed 34 snow clearance machines on stand-by in Srinagar to clear snow from roads and a total of 111 snow-clearance machines have been deployed in the Valley with a provision of bringing 14 more such machines for ensuring opening of roads within minimum possible time.
The Valley is in the midst of winter’s harshest 40-day phase which will continue till the end of this month. It is feared for its freezing weather condition and heavy snow.
The region is already witnessing freezing night temperature with mercury plunging several degrees below the zero-degree mark. The minimum temperature in Srinagar city, overnight, was recorded at -2.7°C.
The overnight temperature in Gulmarg skiing resort, which has received several spells of snow this season, dropped to a low of -6.2°C, while the minimum temperature was recorded at -6.4°C in Pahalgam resort.
The remote Ladakh region recorded a low of -12.6°C in Leh town and -15.0°C in Kargil town. The region remains cut-off from the rest of the state during winter months as heavy snowfall blocks the highway connecting it with the Valley.
