Valley gets relief from intense cold wave
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 3: Kashmir valley today received fresh light snowfall leading to relief from intense cold weather conditions but disrupted air traffic at Srinagar Airport leading to cancellation of 14 flights.
A Meteorological Department official said that Srinagar witnessed one inch snowfall while mercury settled at minus 0.7 degree Celsius against minus 4.6 degree Celsius last night.
It was for the first time in many days that Srinagar recorded temperature above the normal for this time of the year. Otherwise, the minimum temperatures have consistently remained far below normal this season.
On January 31, the mercury plunged to minus 8.8 degree Celsius, the coldest January night recorded in three decades.
The minimum temperature also improved in other parts of the Valley. The mercury settled at minus 3.9 degree Celsius in Pahalgam against minus 9.3 degree Celsius the previous night while the normal temperature for this time of the year is minus 6.1 degree Celsius.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 2.8 degree Celsius against minus 4.5 degree Celsius the previous night while Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 2.4 degree Celsius against minus 8.4 degree Celsius on the previous night while it had half an inch of snow.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.2 degree Celsius against minus 7.0 degree Celsius the previous night while the ski resort received one feet of snowfall today.
The mercury settled at minus 1.2 degree Celsius in Kupwara against minus 1.6 degree Celsius the previous night while northern Kashmir district received one inch snowfall.
As the night temperatures improved, the Dal lake that was frozen melted today and so did other water bodies and water pipes. The melting of water pipes led to relief to the people from water shortage.
The less visibility coupled with light snowfall disrupted the air traffic at the Srinagar airport resulting in the cancellation of 14 flights.
Airport officials said that flight operations were resumed at the Srinagar Airport after it remained temporarily suspended for a few hours due to less visibility and snowfall while many flights were also rescheduled for the day.
“Flight operations at the Srinagar Airport were delayed because of light snowfall and less visibility in the morning. Out of 28 flight movements only 14 flights operated and 14 flight movements were cancelled,” an official said here.
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