4 trains, 2 flights cancelled due to fog
Gopal Sharma/
Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 24: As the severe cold wave and foggy weather conditions continued to grip the Jammu region, the winter capital (Jammu) today recorded a lowest temperature of 1.6 degrees while the day temperature remained about 10 degrees below normal.
The dense fog and poor visibility badly affected the train and air services besides vehicular traffic in the region. Two flights and four trains were cancelled while 11 trains were delayed besides six flights in Jammu due to fog and poor visibility today.
Chief Scientist, Dr Mahender Singh (Agrometeorology Deptt) at Chatha observatory of SKUAST- Jammu disclosed that Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 1.6 degree Celsius which is not only lowest of the season but recorded so low after several years in Jammu. He said dense fog has badly hit the day temperature in Jammu and it remained 9 degrees C at Chatha weather station, about 10 degrees below normal on this day of the season,
However, the IMD, observatory at Jammu has recorded a minimum temperature of 2.3 degrees C today against 5 degrees C recorded on Tuesday. The day temperature as per IMD observatory at the winter capital was, however, 11.3 degrees C, even 0.3 degrees below that of summer capital, Srinagar.
The day temperature at Katra town remained 17.1 degrees C, Banihal 15.0 deg, Bhaderwah 13,6 and at Batote town 14.1 degrees C, which indicates that Jammu was much colder than these hilly places during the day on Wednesday.
The minimum temperature, however, at Katra, Banihal, Bhaderwah and Batote on Wednesday was recorded as 4.6, -1.8 , -1.0 and 1.5 degrees C, respectively.
Meanwhile, Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.3°C against minus 5.0°C on previous night and it was 3.0°C below normal for this time of the year. Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 5.4°C against minus 4.8°C the previous night; Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.3°C against minus 6.2°C the previous night, Kokernag recorded a minimum of minus 2.3°C against minus 1.5°C the previous night,
Kupwara recorded a low of minus 5.3°C against minus 4.9°C the previous night while ski-resort Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.8°C against minus 4.0°C the previous night and the temperature was 2.9°C above normal for the place.
Srinagar recoded a maximum of 11.6 degree Celsius temperature today which was 4.7 degree Celsius above normal, Qazigund recorded a maximum of 12. 0 degrees Celsius, 5.2 degree Celsius above normal; Pahalgam recorded a maximum of 10.2 degree Celsius, 5.7 degree above normal; Kupwara a maximum of 11.5 degree, 4.1 degree Celsius while, Gulmarg recorded a maximum of 5.1 degree Celsius which is 4.7 degree Celsius above normal for the place during this time of the year.
The MeT office Srinagar has issued an advisory in wake of the weather system from January 28-31, saying that the same may lead to temporary closure of roads of higher reaches and important passes like Sinthan Pass, Mughal Road, Sadhna Razdan Pass and Zojila.
“Travellers are advised to plan accordingly,” the Meteorological office said.
One Feb 1, he said, there is possibility of light rain/snow at scattered places.
Kashmir is under ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harsh period of winter, which will end on January 29. However, it does not mean an end to the winter. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
Meanwhile, an Airport official at Jammu said that two IndiGo flights- (Del-Jmu-Sgr, Del-Jmu-Del), were cancelled while six others delayed today at Jammu Airport due to fog and poor visibility in the region.
He further disclosed that three IndiGo, one Air India and two SpiceJet flights, were delayed by several hours due to fog during morning hours in Jammu today.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that four trains including Jhelum Express (11077 and 11078), Jabalpur Express and Kalka-SMVDK Exp were cancelled at Jammu station today.
Besides these four trains, 11 other trains were delayed at Jammu station by eight to one hour due to fog and poor visibility. He disclosed that Tata Muri Express arrived late by 8 hours, Lohit Exp by 6 hours; Malwa Exp, Archna and Shalimar Exp by 5 hours; Sealdah Exp and Happa arrived late by three hours, Puja Express and Uttar Sampark Kranti by two hours while, Hemkund and Shri Shakti Express arrived late by one hour at Jammu station.
Vehicular traffic including interstate bus-service has also been badly hit due to fog and poor visibility in the region.
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