Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, April 8

Intermittent rain swept across the Kashmir on Wednesday, while much of the Jammu region recorded sustained and, in some places, heavy downpours, according to officials from the Meteorological Department, who said unsettled weather is likely to persist through April 10.

In Srinagar and other parts of the valley, rainfall came in uneven spells, punctuating an otherwise overcast day. In the higher elevations, including Gulmarg, light snowfall was reported, dusting ski slopes and mountain passes.

Rainfall totals in the Valley remained modest over the past 24 hours, with Kupwara receiving 5.8 mm and Pahalgam 3.6 mm. 

Srinagar recorded 2.3 mm.

The impact of a western disturbance, a weather system that typically brings moisture from the Mediterranean region, was more pronounced farther south. In the Jammu division, widespread rainfall was recorded, including 50 mm in Rajouri and more than 40 mm each in Udhampur and Jammu.

The persistent rain triggered landslides along the Banihal-Ramban stretch of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, briefly disrupting traffic on the region’s principal road link.

Temperatures fell sharply across both regions. Srinagar’s daytime high reached just 11.8 degrees Celsius, about 7 degrees below seasonal norms, while Gulmarg remained near freezing at 3.6 degrees Celsius. 

In Jammu, the high settled at 24 degrees Celsius, significantly below average for early April.

Forecasters said the instability would continue in the short term. 

Light to moderate rain, along with snowfall in higher elevations, is expected through Wednesday evening, accompanied in some areas by thunder, hail and gusty winds. 

More scattered showers are likely on April 9 and 10, particularly in the afternoon hours.

Conditions are expected to improve gradually, with partly cloudy skies forecast for April 11 and 12 and largely dry weather anticipated through April 13 and 14 before another period of cloudiness returns.

Authorities have warned of possible thunderstorms, hail and winds reaching 40 to 50 km per hour, along with an increased risk of landslides and flash flooding in vulnerable areas. 

Farmers have been advised to resume field operations from April 9, as daytime temperatures are expected to rise by several degrees later in the week.