Srinagar, Nov 16 (IANS): Higher reaches of Kashmir valley received light snowfall on Saturday as the plains witnessed light rain.

MET department officials said that further precipitation is likely to occur in Jammu & Kashmir during the next 48 hours due to a weak Western Disturbance presently passing over J&K.

Tourist resorts of Sonamarg, Gulmarg and Pahalgam received fresh snowfall on Saturday as the mountain peaks around the valley were clad in a thin white blanket in the morning.

Tourists in Gulmarg were thrilled to witness the snowfall, some of the young ones said that this was the first snowfall they had ever since physically.

“Snowfall in movies was all I saw till today. When I woke up in the morning, small flakes of whirling snow were coming down from the sky. It was an unforgettable experience,” said Satish, 18, belonging to Delhi and presently on vacation with his family in Gulmarg ski resort.

The minimum temperature in Srinagar city was 4.6 degrees Celsius on Saturday while it was minus 0.5 and 0.3 in Gulmarg and Pahalgam respectively.

Jammu city had 13, Katra 11.6, Batote 7.1, Banihal 4.6 and Bhaderwah 4.3 as the minimum temperature on Saturday.

MET officials said that due to cloud cover, the night temperatures would improve in the valley while the day temperatures are expected to drop during the next 48 hours.

Kashmir valley is already bracing up for a bitter winter as the cold has started a little earlier than usual this year.

The kind of heavy woollen clothes and thick tweed over-garment called the ‘Pheran’ are seen more and more in use by the locals these days.

The 40-day-long period of harsh cold winter, known as the ‘Chillai Kalan’, starts each year on December 21 and ends on January 30.

During this period, water bodies in the valley freeze partially or completely, making the passage of boats and other means of water transport difficult.