Rains, snowfall lash J&K; dry spell ends

Gopal Sharma

JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 14: While the rains and snowfall have brought to an end the dry spell in Kashmir, Trikuta hills of Mata Vaishnodevi, Patnitop tourist resort and other hilly areas of Jammu region experienced season’s first snowfall today.
The vehicular traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was smooth despite light snowfall in Jawahar Tunnel area and Patnitop. The authorities closed Mughal  Road connecting Rajouri-Poonch with Kashmir valley in view of heavy snowfall at Pir-ki-Gali and Chhatapani on the Pir Panjal. The traffic on  Jammu-Batote-Doda-Kishtwar and Puldoda-Bhaderwah road was smooth. The BRO men and machines cleared about 5 to 7 inches snow at Jawahar Tunnel  and Patnitop early today to ensure smooth movement of vehicular traffic.
Pilgrimage to Mata Vaishnodevi shrine remained smooth despite light rain and snowfall on Trikuta hills. There was no untoward incident on the track and it was slippery at some points due to rain and snowfall. The chopper service between Katra base camp and Sanji Chhat remained affected for several hours due to bad weather, SP Katra Kulbir Singh said.
Reports from Udhampur said that Nathatop near Patnitop, experienced first  snowfall of the season. Hundreds of tourists including Mata Vaishnodevi pilgrims reached there today to enjoy snow fall. There was around 6 to 7 inches snow at this place on Patnitop-Sanasar road. The hotels in Patnitop area have started picking up business after long dry spell. Manager JKTDC Patnitop said that they are receiving large number of phone calls from various places for booking since yesterday with the fresh snowfall.
The reports of fresh snowfall have also been received from Bhaderwah, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Dudu-Basantgarh, Bani, Mahore, Gulabgarh, Budhal and parts of Surankote and Mandi in Poonch.
Meanwhile, the minimum temperature at most places in Kashmir stayed above freezing point for the second consecutive night following rains and snowfall which ended a prolonged dry spell in the Valley.
Nearly three inches of snow accumulated at Gulmarg tourist resort in north Kashmir till 8.30 am while Pahalgam resort in south Kashmir witnessed accumulation of nearly one inch of snow during the corresponding period, a Met office spokesman said.
Kokernag in south Kashmir experienced light snowfall while rest of the Valley witnessed light rainfall since yesterday evening, he said.
Srinagar, the summer capital of the State, recorded a low temperature of 2.7 degrees Celsius, up by 2.5 degrees from the previous night’s low of 0.2 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.
He said Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir Valley in south, recorded a low of 0.8 degree Celsius, a slight increase from 0.3 degrees Celsius of the previous night.
The mercury in Pahalgam, which serves as a base-camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, registered a slight drop to settle at 0.4 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night’s low of 2.2 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.
The minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg slipped by over two degrees to settle at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius compared to minus 1.5 degree Celsius, he said.
The night temperatures in Kupwara in north Kashmir, settled at a low of 1.2 degrees Celsius compared to 0.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, he said.
Leh recorded a minimum temperature of -3.6 degrees Celsius, almost four degrees up from the previous night’s minus 7.3 degrees Celsius, he said.
Kargil, also in Ladakh region, recorded a low of -9 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said, adding, the town was the coldest recorded place in the State.
Katra Mata Vaishnodevi recorded a minimum temperature of 7.6 degree Celsius and maximum 12.0 degree C, Bhaderwah tourist resort of Doda a minimum temperature of 2.3 degree C while Banihal town recorded 2.0 degree night temperature today.
The Met Department has predicted light to moderate rain or snowfall at isolated places across the State.
A senior Traffic Police official said that road condition was slippery in Jawahar Tunnel area due to fresh snowfall. He said the vehicular traffic was plying smoothly but restrictions have now been imposed for the night movement of the vehicles. He said the highway was through at Patnitop and even traffic was plying smoothly on Batote-Kishtwar section. He said that no movement of vehicles is allowed beyond Udhampur TPC towards Kashmir after 3 pm. However, such restrictions are not for Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
Authorities in Kashmir today issued a medium danger avalanche warning in the areas above 2,800 meters following moderate to heavy snowfall in the Valley since yesterday.
According to Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Rohit Kansal medium danger avalanche warning exists for next 24 hours in the avalanche prone areas above 2,800 meters altitude of Kashmir Valley. He said in view of the avalanche alert, Deputy Commissioners of Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora have been asked to warn people against venturing in avalanche prone areas till 5 PM tomorrow.
Meanwhile, with the rain the foggy weather have improved in plain areas of Jammu and in the entire northern region. The trains’ arrival timings at Jammu station from various destinations have improved and air traffic has also witnessed improvement in timings.

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