Even as night temperature at a few places in Kashmir continued to stay below the freezing point, the Valley today witnessed a bright sunny day, giving a feel of early arrival of spring.
With the sprouting of plants and blooming of some flower varieties, signs of spring in Kashmir have started at least a month ahead of the natural process due to favourable temperature.
However, the development has led to concern among farmers and environmentalists who fear that it could be an effect of climate change.
Apart from occasional snowfall ranging from moderate to heavy in the high altitude areas of the Valley, the plains including, the summer capital Srinagar, virtually witnessed a snow-less winter, much to the concern of the farming community, especially the orchardists.
“It is a cause of concern. Kashmir might face water scarcity during summer which can affect the agriculture output in the coming farming season,” said an Agriculture Department official.
Farmers are concerned as the below average snowfall and rain was expected to have an impact on the farming activities in the coming months.
Besides, the early blooming might result in shortfall in the produce as the fruit yielding flowers are weak and cannot survive in case hit by inclement weather.
“I have not seen such a dry winter in many years now. It does not augur well for the farmers of Kashmir,” said Mohammad Akbar, a farmer from Kanihama in Budgam.
Srinagar experienced brief spells of snow on couple of occasions in the past two months but there was no accumulation of snow.
The ‘chillai kalan’— 40-day harsh period of winter which begins on December 21— not only remained mostly dry but also witnessed mercury settling several degrees above normal temperatures.
Srinagar, where the minimum temperature settled at minus 0.1 degree Celsius, a notch below the normal during this part of the season, witnessed a bright sunshine for the third day today.
“The day temperature is expected to settle at around 18 degree Celsius, eight notches above normal,” said a Met official.
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, recorded a low of minus 3.5 degree Celsius, almost the same as was recorded the previous night.
Pahalgam hill resort, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra during summer, recorded a minimum of minus 3.9 degree Celsius against yesterday’s minus 2.3 degree Celsius.
The night temperature settled above freezing point at most places with Qazigund town on Srinagar-Jammu national highway recording the highest 2.4 degree Celsius, followed by the nearby hill resort of Kokernag at 2.2 degree Celsius, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir also recorded a low of 1.0 degree Celsius, an improvement of almost one degree compared to the previous night.
Meanwhile, Kargil was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir with a low of minus 9.8 degrees Celsius.
The nearby Leh town witnessed a drop of almost four degree in the night temperature, which settled at minus 8.9 degree Celsius against yesterday’s minus 5.1 degrees Celsius, the officialsaid.
Bright sunny day hints at early arrival of spring in Kashmir
