SRINAGAR: The snowfall in Kashmir’s upper reaches and moderate rain in the Valley plains continued for the second day on Wednesday, officials said here.
Keran, Macchil (Kupwara district), Gurez in Bandipora district, and the Sonamarg-Zojila axis in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district were among the higher reaches that received snowfall, the officials said, adding that the rain continued to lash the Valley’s plains, including Srinagar.
The snow and rainfall beginning on Tuesday ended the prolonged dry spell in the Union Territory, which recorded its seventh straight winter rainfall deficit this year.
The core winter period this season — from December 2025 to February 2026 — ended with a massive 65 per cent departure from the season’s normal, with the region receiving just 100.6 mm of precipitation against a normal of 284.9 mm.
With a departure of 78 per cent, December saw an actual rainfall of 13 mm against the normal of 59.4 mm.
January witnessed the actual of 73.4 mm against the normal of 95.1 mm, a departure of 23 per cent.
Besides the deficit precipitation, February recorded an unusually high mean temperature, with Srinagar’s average daytime temperature reaching 15.6 degrees Celsius during the month, eclipsing the previous record of 14.9 degrees Celsius in 2016.
The second fortnight of February saw the mercury soar to 20 degrees Celsius, pushing the monthly average past the 15-degree mark.
While January saw some western disturbance activity preventing a total seasonal collapse, the rainfall received was still below normal and could not compensate for December’s shortfall.
In February, the actual rainfall was only 14.2 mm compared to the normal of 130.4 mm, a 89 per cent deficit.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department here has forecast the weather to remain generally cloudy with moderate rain or snow in the higher reaches at isolated places over the next 24 hours.
A few higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal and Anantnag may receive moderate snowfall, it said. (PTI)