NEW DELHI:
Moderate to heavy snowfall and rain continued in the hilly areas of north India today reviving harsh wintry conditions and paralysing normal life while the weather remained mostly pleasant in the plains where some parts received scattered showers.
With the MeT Department predicting further precipitation in hilly regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the authorities concerned have issued alerts and made elaborate arrangements to meet any eventuality.
In the national capital, it was a pleasant day with temperatures hovering below normal levels following overnight rain in isolated places. The city had received 0.5 mm rainfall till 8.30 AM, MeT officials said.
The maximum temperature was recorded four notches below the season’s average at 24.1 degrees Celsius while the minimum had settled a notch below normal at 13.3 degrees Celsius.
Normal life was thrown out of gear in the Kashmir region which witnessed the season’s heaviest snowfall, resulting in snapping of electricity supply and telephone connections and fresh landslides at several places along the 300-km Jammu- Srinagar national highway leading to closure of the only all- weather road link between Kashmir and the rest of the country.
In view of the inclement weather, the authorities have extended the winter vacation for primary and middle schools in Kashmir for a third time this year till March 15. Annual Board and University examinations scheduled for today were also postponed in the wake of heavy snowfall.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, have received snowfall of 18 cm since yesterday, a MeT official said, adding night temperature in the city dipped by two degrees to settle at minus 0.3 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir recorded one feet-deep snow while Kokernag in south Kashmir received 1.6 feet of snowfall. Pahalgam in Anantnag district recorded nearly eight inches of snow.
Gulmarg was the coldest place in Kashmir division as the mercury settled at minus 7 degrees Celsius while Kargil in Ladakh region recorded a low of minus 6.4 degrees. (AGENCIES)
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel