Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 20: While dense fog affected the normal life in many parts of Jammu, light rain was experienced across Jammu and Kashmir and snowfall in mountainous areas of J&K since last night.
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Entire Jammu City and many plain areas of the region including Kathua and Samba were enveloped with the dense fog, since early morning, witnessing sharp fall in temperature. With the dense fog, the train and vehicular traffic, including inter-state bus service was badly affected. The visibility was very poor in several pockets of Jammu, even less than 100-150 meters during morning hours. The weather showed some improvement only after 12 noon.
A spokesman at Jammu airport said that despite poor visibility in Satwari area of Jammu, most of the flights operated almost at the scheduled time. There was no significant delay in the arrival or the departure of flights. After the provision of night landing facility at Jammu airport, the flight operation has also improved, he added.
The mountainous areas of Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Udhampur and Ramban experienced light rain and snowfall while several link roads were again blocked. The power supply to many remote and snowbound areas was also hit since last night in the region.
Meanwhile, a MeT official said that an active western disturbance is likely to hit Jammu and Kashmir on January 22 and 23, triggering widespread rains and snow. He said the bad weather may disrupt surface and air transport.
The plains of the Kashmir valley were lashed by rains while the upper reaches including the ski resort Gulmarg experienced fresh snowfall today.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir, recorded a low of 2.2 degrees Celsius and received 2.9 mm of rains till this evening.
The official said Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chillai Bachha’.
Gulmarg had about 8 cms of fresh snowfall and recorded a low of minus 5.0 degree Celsius temperature against minus 6.0 degree Celsius the previous night. The temperature of the resort was 2.7 degree Celsius above normal for this time of the year.
Pahalgam experienced 4 cms of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 0.6 degree Celsius temperature against minus 1.9 degree Celsius last night.
Qazigund had 2 mm of rainfall and recorded a low of 0.7 degree Celsius against 1.3 degree Celsius the previous night.
Kokernag also had 1.6 mm of rain and recorded a low of minus 0.1 degree Celsius against 0.2 degree Celsius the previous night.
Kupwara received 3.4mm of rainfall during the time while as it recorded a low of 1.2 degree Celsius, same as on the previous night.
Leh recorded a low of minus 9.0 degree Celsius against last night’s minus 11.4 degree Celsius while Kargil settled at minus 15.0 degree Celsius.
Drass recorded a low of minus 15.9 degree Celsius against last night’s minus 19.2 degree Celsius.
The MeT office has forecast fresh spell of light rains and snow on weekend but ruled out any major wet weather by the end of this month.
“A spell of light rain/snow is likely during January 22-23,” the official added.
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