Boatman rowing his boat in Dal Lake on rainy evening in Srinagar. The rains have brought down temperatures giving a feel of cool winter. Picture- Abid Bhat

Srinagar: Weather woes to continue as Meteorological department has predicted isolated thunderstorm with hail and gusty winds during the next 24 hours in the Kashmir valley, where fruit and other standing crops worth crores of rupees has been damaged due to hailstorm, strong winds and heavy rain during the past about week.

Though the weather was almost dry on Monday, the sky remained cloudy resulting in drop in the maximum temperature in the valley.

A Met department spokesman said on Monday evening that there could be widespread light rain and thunderstorm in the Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. Scattered light rain and thundershowers is predicted during the subsequent 48 hours, he said.

There could be Fairly Widespread (FWS) rain in the Kashmir valley during the next 24 hours followed by scattered and isolated rain during next 72 hours. Due to hailstorm, strong winds and rain, orchards, particularly in the south Kashmir district of Pulwama suffered massive damage. The Divisional administration has already ordered assessment of loss of crops due to recent hailstorm in Pulwama, Shopian and Ganderbal districts.

Due to cloudy weather, accompanied by winds throughout the day in the Kashmir valley the maximum temperature was four to five degree below normal on Monday. Experts said below normal temperature during this period of the season will impact paddy and other crops in the valley.

Met spokesman warned that there could be isolated thunderstorm with hail and 30 to 40 km per hour gusty winds in the valley during the next 24 hours.

The summer capital, Srinagar, recorded 24.7 degree maximum temperature which was 4.5 notches below normal while the minimum temperature was 0.2 degree below normal. Spokesman said the sky would be generally cloudy and there could be light rain and thundershowers during the next 24 hours in Srinagar when the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 22 degree and 15 degree respectively.

Gulmarg, the world famous ski resort in north Kashmir, recorded lowest 16 degree maximum temperature, 4.2 notches below normal, much to the delight of tourists from plain state of the country, where the mercury has touched over 40 degree.

World famed health resort of Pahalgam, which is gearing to receive Amarnath pilgrims from different parts of the country also recorded 4.4 degree below normal maximum temperature today. Against normal of 25 degree, the maximum temperature there was 20.6 degree while the minimum temperature was 11.6 degree which was however, 2.5 degree above normal.

Spokesman said the sky would be partly to generally cloudy in winter capital, Jammu, and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 38 degree and 26 degree respectively during the next 24 hours.
There is possibility of light rain and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 20 degree and 10 degree respectively during the next 24 hours in Leh.