Gopal Sharma
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 19: The day temperature in Jammu has gone nearly 5 degree Celsius below normal as the chilling cold conditions continued to grip the entire Jammu region for the last three consecutive days while dense fog and bad weather delayed several trains and also badly hit the air-service.
According to Met Office spokesman, Jammu recorded the maximum temperature of 13.6 degree Celsius which is nearly 5.1 degree C below normal. The normal temperature in Jammu should be 18.7 degree Celsius. On Monday, it was hardly 2 degree Celsius below normal. The minimum temperature recorded in Jammu was 5.2 degree Celsius today. While till 12 noon foggy conditions continued to hit train and air services besides other transport on the highways in the region.
The chilling cold forced most of the people confined to their houses during morning hours while office goers and others were facing the brunt of the harsh weather conditions. The Sun was hardly visible during morning hours and due to poor visibility, the flights were facing difficulty in landing and take off at Jammu airport. Even the inter state buses coming from Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jaipur, Haridwar and other destinations were arriving late.
In Srinagar city and most of the parts of Kashmir, the bright winter Sun today provided much needed relief to the people where night temperature improved slightly but continued to stay below the freezing point. The minimum temperature in Srinagar, marked an increase of almost two degree to settle at minus 2.3 degree Celsius, almost normal for this part of the season. The city recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius on Monday.
The maximum temperature in Srinagar settled at 10.8 degree Celsius on Monday, which is five degrees above normal. However, the minimum temperature is expected to drop further in view of the absence of cloud cover, the Met official said.
In Ladakh region, the residents also heaved a sigh of relief as the night temperature increased by a few degrees. Kargil recorded a low of minus 11.4 degree Celsius against minus 12.0 degree Celsius, while the minimum temperature recorded at Leh town was minus 11.1 degrees Celsius against minus 13.0 degree Celsius of the previous night.
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir, recorded a drop of one degree in the minimum temperature which settled at minus 6.0 degree Celsius.
Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra, also witnessed a drop of about two degrees in the night temperature which settled at minus 4.4 degree Celsius against yesterday’s minus 2.7 degree Celsius.
The spokesman further said that the night temperature recorded at Qazigund was minus 3.2 degree Celsius, while Kupwara marked a slight improvement with a low of minus 1.7 degree Celsius against yesterdays’ minus 2.5 degree Celsius. Kokernag hill resort, recorded a drop of almost one degree in the night temperature to settle at minus 2.2 degree Celsius, the spokesperson said.
Kashmir is in the midst of the 40-day-long (Chillai Kalan) harshest phase of winter, which began on December 21 and will continue till the end of this month.
Director Met Department (J&K) Sonam Lotus predicted almost dry weather for the next one week, with occasional bouts of rainfall in the upper reaches during end of this month. He said although, January last year also witnessed scant snowfall but this year a good snowfall is expected in the month of February.
He said even during last year in January, very less rainfall was experienced and this month will also remain almost dry.
The dry weather has also triggered an epidemic of common winter ailments like cold and cough, prompting doctors to advise people to take precautions and refrain from venturing out in the mornings and evenings.
Mr Lotus further said the western disturbances will not cause much impact for at least one week or so but thereafter, the Western Disturbances would cause rain and some snowfall in most of the parts of Kashmir and hilly areas of Jammu region.
Meanwhile, SSP Airport Jammu RK Bali said that two flights including Indigo and another one- Air India were cancelled and 2-3 morning flights were delayed by 30 to 45 minutes due to dense fog and bad weather conditions. He said one flight coming from Srinagar could not land in Jammu during the afternoon. Rest of the flights operated normally but with slight change in the schedule.
A Railway spokesman said that today most of the incoming trains to Jammu destination were late by one to five hours due to fog while all the trains were departing from Jammu station at right time this evening and tonight. He said two trains Shalimar Express and Jammu-Ahmedabad Express were cancelled today.
He further disclosed that Pooja Express and Tata Moori trains were late by four hours, Anand Vihar, Delhi- Sarai Rohilla Jammu and Varanasi Express were late by two hours, Hemkund Express by two and half hours; Kolkata- Jammu Express and Utter Sampark Kranti by one hour,Ahmedabad -Udhampur Express by three hours, Jhelum Express by two and half hours and Amarnath Express by two hours. He said that this is happening for the last 4-5 days as the dense fog is being witnessed in plain areas of Jammu and parts of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi.
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