Following overnight light to moderate rains and snowfall, the weather improved across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday prompting the authorities to issue an avalanche alert in eight districts of the union territory.

The disaster management authority of J&K issued an avalanche warning of medium danger level which is likely to occur above 2,400 meters in Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Ramban, Kupwara, Bandipore, Ganderbal & Baramulla districts in the next 24 hours.

“People living in these areas are advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas,” the advisory said.

The meteorological centre in Srinagar said that J&K received widespread rains across the union territory for the 24 hours ending 8.30 in the morning.

It said that the highest rainfall of 44.8 mm was recorded in Jammu division’s Banihal while its adjoining area Qazigund in Kashmir valley received a rainfall of 24.6 mm.

There was also snowfall in mountainous areas with 22 cm recorded in the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir and 3 cm in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam resort.

Director MeT Mukhtar Ahmad said that the weather would be generally dry for the next six days. “From March 22 to 24, there will be fresh spells of light to moderate rain and snow at many places,” he said.

The minimum temperatures during the night went below normal across the Valley except in summer capital Srinagar which witnessed a night temperature of 4.4 degree Celsius, some 0.7 notches above normal.

The gateway into Kashmir, Qazigund in south witnessed a minimum of 1.8 degree Celsius while Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of 1.2 degree Celsius, some 1.1 notches below normal.

The lowest temperature during the night was observed in the ski resort of Gulmarg where the mercury plunged to -4.8 degree Celsius, some 1.5 degree below normal. Similarly, the southern resort of Pahalgam recorded -1.3 degree Celsius.