Srinagar, April 22: Heavy rain lashed plains while upper reaches experienced fresh snowfall on Thursday bringing temperatures down in the Valley. 

The Meteorological (MeT) office has forecast the possibility of rains at isolated places on Friday as well. 

The current wet spell is likely to continue till Friday after which the weather is expected to improve, the MeT office said.

Deputy Director MeT Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad, told Rising Kashmir that rain lashed plains while upper reaches experienced fresh snowfall till Thursday evening.

“We are expecting improvement in prevailing weather conditions after Friday till April end. For the next 8-9 days, the weather will remain mainly dry,” he said.

Mukhtar said higher reaches including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Bandipora, Kupwara and Shopian experienced light snowfall, while rains continued in plains till Thursday evening.

Rains began in parts of the Valley Wednesday night, however, its intensity increased, especially in north and central Kashmir areas on Thursday morning.

So far  April month has witnessed back-to-back wet spells  and delaying the apple blossoms in the valley.

As per MeT officials, 6 inches of fresh snow was recorded at ski-resort Gulmarg in Baramulla, 4-5 inches in Sonamarg, 5-6 inches in Gurez, Tulail, Peer Ki Gali.

Srinagar recorded 32 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours, Gulmarg 27 mm, Qazigund 8.4 mm, Kupwara 20 mm, and Pahalgam 13 mm.

Following the inclement weather, massive dip was witnessed in day and night temperatures in the valley.

Summer capital Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of 8.6 degrees Celsius and maximum 9.4 degrees Celsius.

Gulmarg was the coldest place in Kashmir as night temperature was recorded at minus 0.5 degrees.

Rains caused water-logging in major lanes and by-lanes in low lying areas due to which traffic jams were witnessed in several parts of summer capital.

As per traffic police advisory, subject to fair weather and better road condition only stranded vehicles between Nashree and Ramban shall be allowed towards Srinagar on Friday.

“No vehicle shall be allowed from Jammu or Udhampur towards Srinagar,” it said.

Meanwhile, Mughal road, connecting Shopian and Poonch districts remained closed due to the snow accumulation.