After Rain Deficit Winter, March Showers Cool Kashmir

Srinagar — After experiencing an unusually warm winter, Kashmir is now witnessing below-normal daytime temperatures due to recent rains and snowfall, which could augur well for crops and flowering plants, officials said on Friday.

Since Sunday, most parts of the valley have seen intermittent rains, while many areas at higher elevations received snowfall. There was overnight snowfall in tourist resorts like Gulmarg and Sonamarg, as well as in various locations in the upper reaches of Kashmir. As a result, the mountains and hills in the valley are now covered with fresh, pristine layers of snow.

The wet weather has caused a drop in daytime temperatures across Kashmir. On Thursday, Srinagar city recorded a maximum temperature of 9.5 degrees Celsius, which is over six degrees below the normal of 16 degrees.

These lower daytime temperatures mark a departure from the unusually high temperatures seen in the valley in recent weeks. This winter brought a significant rainfall deficit, with Jammu and Kashmir recording its seventh consecutive winter rainfall deficit.

The core winter period from December 2025 to February 2026 ended with a remarkable 65 per cent shortfall from the normal, receiving just 100.6 mm of precipitation compared to the normal of 284.9 mm.

February's actual rainfall was only 14.2 mm compared to a normal of 130.4 mm, leading to an 89 per cent shortfall and unusually warm conditions with temperatures frequently exceeding normal levels by more than 10 degrees.

For the first time in history, the famous ski resort of Gulmarg recorded a high of 17.2 degrees Celsius in the first week of March, which is 13.7 degrees above normal.

Sameera Qayoom, an agrometeorologist at SKUAST, stated, "Wherever there has been no flowering so far, the current weather is favourable. The lower temperatures will delay bud burst and promote more normal flowering."

She emphasised that while this winter has seen abnormal weather patterns, temperatures are expected to stabilise and return to normal. The warm temperatures this year have accelerated the blooming of tulips, leading to the early opening of the famous Tulip Garden in Kashmir.

The Meteorological Department informed that there is a possibility of intermittent light rain or snow at many places, but the weather would improve thereafter. It stated that while the weather is likely to stay generally dry from March 21 to 25, there is a chance of a brief spell of rain or snow at a few places on March 23.

The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority on Friday issued an avalanche warning for higher reaches of north Kashmir, cautioning that areas above 2,600 metres in Baramulla and Kupwara districts are likely to face medium danger levels over the next 24 hours.