Avalanche warning in hills after fresh snowfall

A view of fresh snowfall in Gulmarg on Friday. -An Excelsior picture
A view of fresh snowfall in Gulmarg on Friday. -An Excelsior picture

Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 29: After fresh snowfall in the hills of Kashmir and forecast of more snow, authorities issued an avalanche warning in Kashmir division and asked people not to venture out in avalanche prone areas.
The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, today issued an avalanche warning for next 24 hours in avalanche prone areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora and Ladakh districts. The areas where there is threat of avalanches include Chokibal-Tangdhar, Keran, Gurez, Nawgam-Kalyan, Machil and Drass sector in Kargil district.
Residents in Kashmir valley and Ladakh region, today experienced relief from the cold weather conditions as mercury rose by several notches due to wet weather, with higher reaches of Kashmir receiving fresh snowfall.
There were reports of fresh snowfall in many other areas in the higher reaches of the Valley including Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonamarg, Peer Ki Gali and along the Line of Control (LoC).
The MeT official said there is possibility of heavy rains or snowfall at few places in Kashmir over next 24 hours.
It was raining heavily tonight in Srinagar and up in the hills it was snowing heavily. However, Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was open for traffic.
In Srinagar, temperature increased nearly four degrees from the previous night’s low to settle at 3.1 degree Celsius. The day temperature of Srinagar settled at 8 degree Celsius.
Gulmarg received fresh snowfall of around three inches. The minimum temperature at Gulmarg went up from the previous night’s low of minus 6 degree Celsius to settle at minus 3.2 degree Celsius.Barring Gulmarg, mercury in all the places recorded in the Valley settled above freezing point. The day temperature of Gulmarg, however, settled at 0.6 degree Celsius.
Most of the areas in the plains of the Valley received intermittent rains overnight with the north Kashmir town of Kupwara recording rainfall of 14.2 mm. The mercury at Kupwara registered an increase of nearly three notches and settled at a low of 0.5 degree Celsius. The day temperature settled at 5.5 degree Celsius.
The night temperature at Pahalgam in South Kashmir went up over six notches to settle at a low of 1.3 degrees Celsius. The day temperature settled at 5.5 degree Celsius.
In Qazigund, mercury increased 1.5 degree to settle at 2.6 degree Celsius, and Kokernag registered a low of 1 degree Celsius. The day temperature of Qazigund and Kokernag settled at 8.4 degree Celsius and 8.1 degree Celsius respectively.
Leh also experienced relief from intense cold as the night temperature rose over six degrees from the previous night s low of minus 12.7 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius. The day temperature at Leh settled at 5.7 degree Celsius.