Fog delays 11 flights, 9 trains in region
Fayaz Bukhari/ Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 8: While there seems to be no respite from the severe cold and dense fog in Jammu region, thereby, affecting air, train and vehicular traffic; there was slight respite from the intense cold in Kashmir today but the minimum temperatures settled several degrees below the freezing point across the Valley.
An official spokesman said that due to dense fog in Jammu area during morning hours, one flight was cancelled while 14 others delayed at Jammu airport. The departure time of these flights was also rescheduled. He further disclosed that seven IndiGo, three Air India, one Vistara and three SpiceJet flights were delayed due to bad weather and poor visibility today.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that at least nine trains were affected/delayed at Jammu Station today due to dense fog and poor visibility in the northern region since last night. He said a thick blanket to fog continued to hit train services in the entire northern region of the country.
The spokesman further disclosed that Puja Express arrived 15 hours late at Jammu Station today, Shalimar Express five hours, Jhelum Exp four hours; Malwa, Super Fast and Tata Muri were late by three hours while Sealdah and Madras Express arrived late by two hours at Jammu station today. The departure of Puja Express from Jammu station was delayed by 10.45 hours, he added.
Meanwhile, Srinagar city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.3 degrees Celsius last night, up from minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, noted the previous night.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while the ski resort of Gulmarg noted a minimum temperature of 4 degrees Celsius last night, slightly down from the previous night.
Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night’s minus 6.5 degrees Celsius. The minimum temperature in Kokernag town settled at minus 2.1 degrees Celsius and in Kupwara at minus 5 degrees Celsius.
Srinagar, Qazigund, Pahalgam, Kupwara, Kokernag and Gulmarg settled at maximum of 11.5°C, 11.4°C, 11.8 °C, 11.8 °C, 10.6°C and 6.0°C, respectively, which was 5.4°C, 5.4°C, 7.5°C, 5.7°C, 6.2°C and 5.5°C above normal, respectively for these places for this time of the year.
The chances of snowfall are the highest during this period and most areas, particularly the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.
Kashmir has been going through a prolonged dry spell and a 79 per cent deficit in rainfall was recorded for December.
No snowfall was noted in most of the plain areas of Kashmir, while the upper reaches of the Valley have received lesser than usual amount of snow. The Meteorological department has forecast mainly dry weather till January 12.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of “Chilla-i-Kalan”, a 40-day harsh winter period, when a cold wave sweeps the region and temperatures drop considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies as well as water in pipes.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will end on January 31. However, the cold conditions will continue with a 20-day ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold).
Meanwhile, Jammu region continues to be under the grip of severe cold for the last few days. There was hardly any difference in the maximum or minimum temperatures today in the winter capital as compared to Sunday.
Jammu recorded a night temperature of 4.3 degree Celsius and the day temperature of 11.8 degrees C; Banihal town a minimum temperature of minus 1.2 deg C and maximum 16.4 degrees; Bhaderwah minimum 0.4 and maximum 14.7 degrees, Batote minimum 3.2 and maximum 15.6 while Katra town had minimum 5.6 and maximum 20.2 degrees Celsius today. It was sunny day at Katra and chopper service to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine from the base camp Katra operated smoothly.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
