Srinagar: Weathermen are predicting rains to hit plains and snowfall in hills for the next 36 hours to Sunday morning. Kashmir Valley experienced light rains but the picnic resort of Gulmarg witnessed 5 to 7 inches of snow. Snow also piled up on the Mughal road, blocking it along with Srinagar-Leh highway.
"We are expecting rains in the plains and snowfall in the higher reaches in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 36 hours.
"Scattered light rain started in the morning in Srinagar city and there was some respite from bitter night cold because of cloud cover during the night," an official of the local Met office said.
The Met office recorded minimum temperature of 2.8 degrees celsius in Srinagar city on Thursday while it was 1.3 degrees celsius in Pahalgam, minus 3 degrees celsius in Gulmarg, minus 6.7 degrees celsius in Leh town, and minus 5.6 degrees celsius in Kargil town of Ladakh region.
Leh at minus 6.7 degrees Celsius was the coldest town in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The 40-day long period of extreme cold in the Valley known as 'Chillai Kalan' starts on December 21 and ends on January 31.
It is the core winter period when valley freezes and mercury goes several notches below the freezing point. The water bodies, including lakes and rivers in the Valley, freeze during 'Chillai Kalan' and extremely slippery road conditions cause problems to motorists and pedestrians.
In Ladakh and Zanskar area, many rivers freeze and people take the famous Chaddar trek- which essentially is a long distance trek on a river that is used as a shortcut to reach destinations.
On Thursday snowfall at Gulmarg excited the kids and tourists who were seen indulging in snow fights.
Many tourists who are keen on sightseeing and adventure tourists would like the powder to pack up for extreme skiing.
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