Weather forecasters advise orchadists to postpone spray of orchards till May 3

As rains lashed Kashmir Valley, the weatherman on Tuesday advised farmers to postpone irrigation and spray of orchards till May 3. A meteorological department official said that Srinagar received 1.0mm of rain this morning till 8:30 a.m. The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of 12.5 degrees Celsius last night against 9.3 degrees Celsius normal for this time of the season, he said. The official said that Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of 12.6 degrees Celsius and had traces of rains while the mercury in Kokernag town, also in south Kashmir, settled at a low of 11.7 degrees Celsius. Kupwara town in north Kashmir registered a minimum of 9.1 degrees Celsius and had rainfall of 1.0mm. Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir, witnessed

a low of 4.9 degrees Celsius and rainfall of 0.4mm. The famous health resort of Pahalgam recorded a minimum of 7.7 degrees Celsius and rainfall of 2.7 mm. “Weather to remain cloudy to overcast with intermittent light to moderate rain at most places of Kashmir, many places of Jammu and isolated places of Kargil district,” director meteorological department Sonam Lotus said. “Today, as of now, it looks like there will be gradual decrease in rainfall from tomorrow. Accordingly, farmers are advised to postpone irrigation and spray of orchards till 3rd May,” he continued. Some places in Jammu and Kashmir region are likely to experience thunderstorm mainly in the evening, he added