Srinagar: Reports say that a strong weather system (westerly wave) is expected to produce more snowfall across Kashmir in next 36 hours.
Rain with snowfall is expected from Saturday to Thursday. Intermittent heavy snowfall may occur in and around Kashmir from Monday to Thursday.
Divisional Administration Kashmir issued a statement saying there are chances of fairly widespread rains and snow in Kashmir Division from January 20 to January 24, 2017.
There is forecast of isolated rain/snow on January 20-21, scattered rains and snow on January 22, and fairly widespread rain/snow on January 23-24, the statement said.
The statement said that all the Deputy Commissioners of Kashmir Division have been asked to necessary precautionary measures in their respective districts where avalanche warning has already been issued.
Meanwhile biting cold wave conditions have further intensified as mercury dropped by a few notches in Ladakh region and Kashmir valley, where health resort of Pahalgam recorded the coldest night of the season so far after the temperature settled at minus 13.8 degree.
However, Leh at minus 16.8 degree was the coldest place in the region followed border town of Kargil, where mercury settled at minus 15 degree.
After witnessing some improvement in the night temperature in Leh in Ladakh region yesterday, the mercury witnessed a drop of eight degrees. Against minus 8.3 degree recorded yesterday, the night temperature was minus 16.8 degree. The night temperature in border town of Kargil also settled at minus 15 degree. The skies will be mainly clear in Leh, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around zero and minus 12 degree respectively tomorrow, he said.
After witnessing an improvement of about three degrees in the night temperature, people woke up to a chilly morning in the summer capital, Srinagar, where normal life was today crippled due to a strike called by separatists.
Against minus 3.3 degree recorded yesterday in Srinagar, the night temperature was minus 0.9 degree, which is a degree above normal. The maximum temperature also witnessed some improvement and settled at above normal.
The spokesperson said skies will be partly cloudy during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where maximum and minimum temperatures will be around 7 degree and minus 4 degree respectively tomorrow.
Gulmarg witnessed a marginal improvement in the night temperature.
The mercury at Gulmarg surged and settled at minus 11.8 degree, against minus 12 degree recorded yesterday. The night temperature was about five degree below normal.
Qazigund on 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, witnessed some dip in the night temperature though it was still above normal. Against minus 2.4 degree C recorded yesterday, the night temperature was minus 2.8 degree.
Kokernag also witnessed a dip in night temperature after mercury plunged and settled at minus 3.3 degree, against minus 1.7 degree recorded yesterday.
The mercury in Kupwara in north Kashmir also witnessed a dip of about three degrees. Against minus 1.8 degree recorded yesterday, the night temperature was minus 4.7 degree, which is about three degrees below normal.
Meanwhile after clearing Kashmir-bound vehicles stranded overnight on the national highway authorities allowed down convoy this afternoon.
Jammu bound vehicles stranded at various places on this side of the Jawhar tunnel, including at Qazigund, were allowed to ply on the highway this afternoon.
However, no fresh vehicle was allowed from Srinagar or Jammu today on the national highway, a traffic police official told UNI this afternoon. Large number of Kashmir bound vehicles, including those carrying passengers, which were stranded on the highway since yesterday, were cleared since this morning, he said.
Now, he said, We are clearing Jammu bound vehicles which were stranded on the highway, adding fresh traffic will be allowed only once all the stranded vehicles are cleared.
One-way traffic on the highway resumed yesterday when vehicles from Jammu to Srinagar were allowed after remaining suspended for three days due to heavy snowfall and landslides.
However, there were fresh landslides at Pantiyal and Sheer Bibi and other areas between Ramban and Ramsu forcing authorities to suspend traffic again on the highway, he said adding the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) responsible for the maintenance of the highway immediately put into service sophisticated machines and men and put the highway through again in the afternoon.
But, due to slippery road conditions in the evening when the temperature goes below freezing temperature, traffic was again suspended to avoid any accident.
Only one-way traffic will be allowed on the highway till further orders, he said adding decision to resume traffic from both sides will be taken only after the weather and road conditions improve.
However, there is a forecast for heavy to very heavy snowfall during the next 48 hours in the region, including on the highway.
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