Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 14: The minimum temperatures in Kashmir were today recorded sub-zero amid forecast of mainly dry weather till February 18.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 1.6°C against the previous night’s minus 4.0°C. Today’s minimum temperature was below normal by 1.8°C for the city.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 4.6°C the previous night and it was 2.0°C below normal for the town.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 4.6°C against minus 10.0°C the previous night and it was 0.4°C above normal for the tourist resort.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 2.4°C against minus 4.6°C the previous night and it was 2.4°C below normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.2°C against minus 11.0°C the previous night and it was 1.0°C below normal for the skiing resort.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 3.5°C against minus 5.7°C the previous night and it was 2.3°C below normal.
Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 12.2°C and minus 17.4°C respectively.
The Meteorological Department forecast mainly dry weather was expected till February 18.
While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 has ended, Kashmir is under the grip of a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’. It will be followed by a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bacha’ (baby cold) which will end on February 28.
Meanwhile, intermittent landslide and shooting stones on Mehar-Cafeteria stretch ahead of Ramban disrupted traffic movement on Jammu Srinagar National on Tuesday.
Traffic officials said landslide and shooting stones on Mehar Cafeteria stretch blocked Jammu- Srinagar National Highway on Monday evening. However, the highway was restored on Monday morning at 10 am.
Traffic authorities said the highway was restored after road clearance Tuesday morning and stranded Light Motor Vehicles were cleared on priority while the stranded heavy vehicles are being cleared.
They said after remaining open for a brief period the highway got blocked again due to which both side traffic remained stranded on the highway till afternoon.
Hundreds of stranded vehicles were cleared despite intermittent shooting stones on the Mehar Cafeteria sector of highway till late Tuesday evening.
They said private cars and LMVs were also diverted through Ramban old alignment road to bypass the Mehar-Cafeteria stretch of highway.
They said shooting stones were still hitting the road on the Mehar Cafeteria stretch; however men and machines were deployed on the affected area to clear the highway.
SSP Traffic National Highway Ramban Mohita Sharma while updating the status of NH-44 late Tuesday evening tweeted that shooting stones continued for the entire day on Mehar -Cafeteria stretch as authorities struggled to clear the stranded vehicles.
LMVs are advised not to travel at night as it is unsafe amidst shooting stones, she said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
