Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 2: While a thin sheet of ice was formed over the surface of the Dal lake as the minimum temperature in Srinagar last night was recorded minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, Jammu recorded seasons lowest temperature of 6.4 degree Celsius so far.
With dense fog in the plains of Jammu region and north India, 10 trains and three flights were delayed here. However, all the 15 scheduled flights operated at Jammu Airport today with the improvement weather during the day.
Kashmir has been going through a prolonged dry spell with no precipitation forecast over the next six days, the officials said, adding December month was 79 per cent deficit on rainfall.
There has been no snowfall in most plain areas of Kashmir while upper reaches of the Valley have also received lesser than usual amounts of snow by the end of December.
The open sky has resulted in the minimum temperature sliding further in most parts, including Srinagar. The residents of the Dal lake area in Srinagar, who live in houseboats, had a tough time breaking the ice layer while rowing their boats towards the banks.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 5.2 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 6.2 degrees Celsius, down from the previous night’s minus 5.7 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg skiing resort in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4 degrees Celsius. Qazigund recorded a low of minus 4.4 degrees Celsius while Kokernag town saw the minimum settle at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius and Kupwara recorded a minimum of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius.
Chief Scientist at SKUAST- Jammu, Dr Mahinder said that Chatha observatory of Jammu today recorded 6.4 degree C temperature today which is lowest so far of this season. He said the temperature may further drop in coming days. On Monday, the winter capital had recorded 7.3 deg temperature. There has been a sharp fall in day’s temperature of Jammu. Today, it was 10.8 deg C which is just 0.4 deg C more than that of Srinagar.
Katra town recorded a minimum temperature of 5.1 degree C, Bhaderwah 0.4 degree, Batote 2.7 deg C, Banihal 2.6 degree while Leh town recorded a minimum temperature of -10.9 deg Celsius today.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ – the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies, including the Dal lake as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the Valley.
The chances of snowfall are the highest during this period and most areas, especially the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall. ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’ will end on January 31.
However, the cold conditions will continue after that with a 20-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla-i-Bachha’ (baby cold).
Meanwhile, Director Airport Authority, Jammu, S K Garg said that all the 15 scheduled flights operated today from Jammu Airport. He said three morning flights were delayed due to bad weather and poor visibility in view of fog, however, no flight was cancelled or diverted today.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that 10 trains arrived late at Jammu station today due to dense fog and poor visibility in the region. He said Puja Express was late by 12 hours, Malwa Express six hours, Tata Muri and Indore SF Exp by five hours; Jhelum Exp, Shalimar and Andaman Exp arrived late by four hours while Jammu Mail, Hemkund Exp and Shri Shakti were late by one hour today. The departure of Puja Express was delayed by 6 hours and 45 minutes on Tuesday, he added.
Due to foggy weather conditions, the road transport has also been affected badly in the region specially during morning hours.
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