Srinagar, Mar 20 : A Western Disturbance (WD) is likely to cause widespread light to moderate rain and snow over Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours, officials said.

Meteorological Centre Srinagar on Wednesday forecast fairly widespread light to moderate rain in Kashmir valley and parts of Jammu division during the next two days.

Kashmir weather, an independent forecaster said, “Under the influence of a WD, light to moderate rain/snow is expected to commence in parts of Kashmir from tomorrow afternoon onwards, and by the evening, most parts of Kashmir Valley would have received a spell of rain/snow. Rain/snow activities can continue in some areas on March 22”.

He said the least impact of WD is expected in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts, too. There is a possibility of hailstorms and gusty winds in some areas during this period.

The MeT said the weather will generally remain dry on March 23, while it will turn generally cloudy with light rain and snow at a few places over Jammu and Kashmir on March 24, while light rain and snow at a few places on March 27 and 28.

The weather is pleasant, with a bright sun shining on Wednesday in Kashmir Valley amid the spring season and buds on flower trees blossoming in various parks and gardens.

The night temperature improved further at most of the stations but remained below normal, while the day temperature recorded 5-8°C above normal in Kashmir Valley on the previous day.

Srinagar recorded a low of 4.2°C against 2.2 °C recorded during the intervening nights of Tuesday and Wednesday. It was still 0.5°C below normal for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

Qazigund on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway had a low of 2.4°C, and the picnic spot of Kokernag in south Kashmir recorded a low of 4.0°C on Wednesday.

Pahalgam remained the coldest place in the Kashmir Valley, with a low of -1.1°C against the -0.9°C recorded a day ago. It was 1.2°C below normal for the famous tourist hot spot of south Kashmir.

The night temperature improved at Gulmarg and settled at -0.8°C against -1.0°C the previous night, and it was 1.3°C above normal for the famous ski resort of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Tuesday.

Kupwara recorded a low of 1.9°C against the 1.5°C on the previous night. It was 1.2°C below normal for the frontier Kashmir district on Wednesday, the MeT office said.

UNI