Amid dry weather, mercury rises in most parts of J&K

As mainly dry weather continues, the minimum temperature recorded increase in Kashmir Valley as well as most parts of Jammu division on Friday.A meteorological department official here told GNS Srinagar recorded a low of 3.2°C against 2.9°C on the previous night and it was 0.1°C below normal for the summer capital.Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of 2.0°C against 1.8°C on the previous night and it was 0.2°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.2°C against minus 1.9°C on the previous night and it was 0.2°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.Kokernag recorded a low of 4.3°C against 4.1°C on the previous night and it was 2.4°C above normal for the place, the officials said.Gulmarg recorded a low of 0.6°C against minus 1.4°C on the previous night and it was 4.1°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at 0.4°C against 0.2°C on the previous night and it was 1.4°C below normal for the north Kashmir area.Jammu recorded a low of 14.6°C against 15.5°C on the previous night. It was 0.6°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 3.8°C (below normal by 0.3°C), Batote 8.0°C (above normal by 2.1°C), Katra 13.1°C (1.6°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 5.5°C (2.4°C above normal).Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil, he said, recorded a low of minus 5.6°C and minus 5.6°C respectively.The MeT department has forecast dry weather in the next 24 hours. Mainly dry weather to isolated very light rain and thunder is expected for subsequent two days, he added. (GN