Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir is reeling under a long dry spell and the prevailing weather conditions are likely to continue for almost a week.
The previous time Kashmir witnessed a long dry spell was in September 2014 after floods that lasted more than two months, MeT officials said.
Jammu and Kashmir also witnessed such a prolonged dry spell in 2002, 2005, 2007 and 2014 the officials said, adding there are no indications of any immediate sign of rainfall in near future as such prevailing dry spell is going to stay. “The dry weather will last as long as the latitudinal position of the westerly wind is not restored.”
The “Tropical westerly jet stream” which emanates from the Mediterranean (west to east), through the Chitraal area of North Pakistan, usually passes over Kashmir at a latitude of 28 degrees north, the officials said. “This westerly wind has been passing at latitude of 36 degrees north ever since the start of the present dry spell due to rise in the elevation of pressure drop position in the Mediterranean, which is usually 1.5 Kilometres above the sea level.”
Reports say that there was 28.6 mm rainfall in the month of September this year, which was 115 mm last year in the same month. In October 2016, 3.6 mm rainfall was recorded against 63.2 mm in corresponding month of previous year. As far as month of November is concerned, this year November remained completely dry against 12.9 mm rainfall recorded in the month of November last year.
Srinagar Freezes At -2.8 °C Temp
In season’s lowest, Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir recorded a shivering temperature of minus 2.8°C. In the past few days Srinagar has been experiencing such low temperatures due to the passage of a western disturbance.
The frequency of western disturbance has increased since later part of November but till now all the western disturbances were feeble in nature and travelled in upper latitude. Moreover, they failed to induce a strong cyclonic circulation over North and Northwestern parts of the country.
In the absence of strong western disturbance and induced cyclonic circulation, snowfall over Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand was scanty and light. And weather over Northern plains remained dry. Normally by this time one or two episodes of moderate to heavy snowfall occur over West Himalayas and scattered showers are also experienced over Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, West Uttar Pradesh and parts of North Rajasthan.
But now the wait is over and tourists can head towards hill stations of Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir as an active western disturbance is approaching. We expect that on December 10 & 11, many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand will experience moderate to heavy snowfall. Some rain activity can also be expected over parts of Punjab, Haryana and North Rajasthan during this weekend.
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