Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Dec 16: Western disturbances affected Jammu and Kashmir today, causing light rain and snow in the higher reaches while a sharp fall in temperature has been witnessed in Jammu region.
A cold wave has gripped the plain areas of Jammu region, restricting normal movement of people on the roads and lanes. The day as well as night temperature has experienced sharp fall during past three days in the region. Jammu recorded a minim um temperature of 5.9 degree Celsius which is lowest of the season so far as compared to 6.7 degree C on Friday. .
The Mughal Road, connecting Kashmir with Rajouri and Poonch and Kishtwar-Sinthan Top-Anatnnag road, have been closed due to fresh snowfall.
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A Traffic Police official from Poonch said that after snowfall at Chandimarh, Poshana and Pir Ki Gali, this afternoon the movement of traffic on Mughal Road was stopped. He said about 5-7 inch snowfall was reported in Poshana area while around 8-10 inch at Pir Ki Gali till this evening.
Reports said there was heavy snowfall in Sinthon Top area of Kishtwar and movement of traffic on Anantnag-Kokernag-Kishtwar road has also been stopped. It was snowing in the higher reaches of Bhaderwah, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Reasi, Rajouri, Udhampur and Kathua. Bhaderwah-Bani road is likely to be closed as light snowfall was reported at Chhatergalla on Seoj Dhar, an official from Doda said.
Meanwhile, the parts of Kashmir including Gulmarg experienced fresh snowfall today bringing down the mercury across Kashmir.
However, the night temperature recorded a slight improvement in Central and Northern districts of Kashmir while in South Kashmiri it dipped further.
The parts of Kashmir including Gulmarg, Bandipora higher reaches, Sadhna Top, Gurez Valley higher reaches, Mughal Road including Peer ki Gali, Z-Gali and Machil areas experienced a fresh snowfall today.
The fresh snowfall has, however, led to the dip in the maximum temperature across Kashmir.
Nonetheless, the minimum temperature has improved further across Kashmir while Pahalgam was coldest at minus 5.1 degree Celsius.
The sub-zero temperature has been recorded across Kashmir while Srinagar shivered at minus 1.3 degree Celsius.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.8 degree Celsius. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 2.8 degree Celsius.
In Kupwara, the mercury settled at minus 1.0 degree Celsius while in Kokernag, a minimum temperature of minus 3.6 degree Celsius was recorded.
Shopian station was coldest at minus 6.5 degree Celsius.
Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told Excelsior that there will be mainly dry weather conditions from tomorrow till December 23rd.
He stated that the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy with possibility of light snow over isolated higher reaches from December 24-December 26.
“Overall, there is no significant weather activity till 26th December,” he said, adding that the improvement in minimum temperature was recorded due to feeble Western Disturbance (WD) till tomorrow thereafter again likely to fall by 1-3 degree Celsius,” he said.