Fayaz Bukhari/ Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Jan 8: Kashmir valley and many hilly areas of Jammu region received fresh snowfall today leading to plummeting of day temperature by several notches while the night temperature showed some improvement whereas, movement of traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Doda, Poonch roads was suspended this evening.
Due to fresh snowfall at Patnitop, Jawahar tunnel areas besides Bhimber Gali in Poonch and several other parts of the region, the movement of traffic was suspended this evening by the Traffic police authorities while two flights were cancelled and several trains delayed due to bad weather and poor visibility.
The Director Meteorological Department in Srinagar, Sonam Lotus, told the Excelsior that there will be moderate to heavy snowfall during next 24 hours in Kashmir and Ladakh. He said that the weather will start improving in the afternoon of January 10.
Lotus said that heavy snowfall has been recorded in Pahalgam during the day and till evening around 6 inches fresh snow had accumulated there.
The Weatherman said that it started snowing in Srinagar this afternoon and in the evening it was snowing heavily in Srinagar. He said that in Srinagar one inch snow and in Banihal 3 inches of fresh snow has accumulated.
Lotus said that there was light snowfall in Zojila, Kargil and parts of Ladakh division. He said that light rain was reported in Jammu and light snow at Trikuta hills in Jammu division.
Entire Kashmir valley including Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Bandipora, Budgam and Ganderbal received light snowfall today. The snow in North Kashmir started this morning while in Srinagar and South Kashmir, it started in the afternoon.
Inspector General of Police, Traffic, Muneer Ahmad Khan told that 3500 vehicles left for Jammu from Srinagar this morning and as per schedule no vehicle was allowed to cross Qazigund after 3:30 p.m. He said majority of the vehicles crossed Patnitop and traffic police is ensuring that all the vehicles cross Patnitop so that no vehicle gets stranded on the highway due to snowfall.
Khan said around 60 vehicles including 25 passenger vehicles which were stranded at Banihal were allowed to move towards Srinagar and Tunnel after Jammu bound vehicles crossed Jawahar Tunnel and it was closed for traffic after 4 p.m.
Due to overcast conditions, the minimum temperatures in most parts of the Valley increased, but continued to stay below the freezing point.
A MeT official said that Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 1.7 degree Celsius, over one degree up from the previous night’s minus 3.3 degree Celsius and maximum temperature settled at 1.8 degree Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Pahalgam in South Kashmir went up by over eight degree from the previous night’s minus 14.7 degree Celsius to settle at minus 6.2 degree Celsius last night and maximum temperature was recorded at minus 2 degree Celsius.
The ski-resort of Gulmarg registered a low of minus 9.4 degree Celsius, as against the previous night’s minus 11.6 degrees Celsius and maximum day temperature settled at minus 5 degree Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Qazigund settled at minus 4.6 degree Celsius and maximum temperature settled at 2.1 degree Celsius, while Kokernag recorded a low of minus 6.1 degrees Celsius and maximum of 0.4 degree Celsius.
The minimum in Kupwara in North Kashmir settled at minus 1.3 degree Celsius compared to the previous night’s minus 4.6 degree Celsius and maximum day temperature settled at 0.3 degree Celsius.
Leh recorded a low of minus 12.1 degree Celsius, an increase of over five degrees from the previous night’s minus 17.4 degree Celsius and maximum of minus 3.2 degree Celsius.
Kargil town went up by over six degrees to settle at a low of minus 12.4 degree Celsius as compared to minus 19.0 degree Celsius the previous night and maximum temperature of the town settled at minus 8.1 degree Celsius.
Meanwhile, due to fresh snowfall at Pir Panjal and Patnitop area besides other higher reaches in the region, the traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway besides Doda-Kishtwar and Jammu-Poonch roads was suspended this evening while two flights were cancelled and several trains delayed due to bad weather and poor visibility.
As the mercury dipped further today, the winter capital city (Jammu) witnessed 13.6 degree Celsius temperature which is nearly 5 degree below normal, whereas, the minimum temperature was recorded as 7 degree C. The fresh snowfall in many hilly areas of Jammu region has caused road blockade at many places while the Traffic Police authorities stopped the movement of traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway this evening.
SP Airport, Jammu Ashok Sharma disclosed that several morning flights were delayed today due to bad weather and poor visibility while two Srinagar bound flights – Indigo ( 6E/559) and Go Air G-8/ 387 were cancelled. These flights operate between Mumbai, Jammu and Srinagar. He said most of the morning flights were late by 30 to 45 minutes today and the rush of passengers was also less as compared to routine in view of poor weather conditions and chilling cold. The helicopter service at Katra Mata Vashnodevi was also remained suspended for several hours today due to bad weather and fresh snowfall.
Reports from Poonch and Rajouri said that due to fresh snowfall at Bhimber Gali, Dera Gali, Krishna Ghati, Bafliaz, Thannamandi and Budhal area this evening, the roads have been blocked. The authorities stopped the movement of vehicular traffic between Rajouri and Poonch from Manjakote ahead and Surankote side to Rajouri at around 6 pm. Last week, over 150 vehicles had been trapped in snow near BG and Jarhan Wali Gali due to heavy snowfall. The authorities have kept snow cutters at BG but due to heavy snow fall and rain the work had to be stopped this evening. The movement of traffic on the roads between Ramnagar-Basantgarh-Dudu, Basohli- Bani- Loang in Kathua and Doda-Bhaderwah has been affected with the fresh snowfall at several places.
Similarly, the movement of traffic was not allowed from Doda and Batote side after 6 pm as snowfall was going on at Patnitop and the road was slippery. As today was down convoy today, no up convoy was allowed from Udhampur and Nagrota onwards by the traffic police authorities. There will be no up convoy tomorrow if the weather condition remained same. If the weather improved and road clearance work could be taken up smoothly by GREF authorities and the convoy towards Srinagar will be allowed. Over 1400 vehicles for Jammu were cleared today from Lower Munda and Jawahar Tunnel side today, a senior Traffic Police official said.
Dr B C Sharma, Chief Scientist Agro-Metrology Department of SKUAST-Jammu when contacted said that Jammu’s day temperature was nearly 5 degree Celsius below normal today and there was fresh snowfall in the higher reaches of Jammu region. He said in next 24 hours heavy snowfall and rain has been predicted at many places of the region while Jammu witnessed 0.8 mm rain till 6 pm today. The minimum temperature was closer to normal but there was sharp decline in the maximum temperature today.
Meanwhile, a Northern Railway spokesman said that several trains were late by one to three hours today due to poor visibility and bad weather. The timings of several trains were also rescheduled while a few rains including Shalimar Express were on time.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel