SRINAGAR – The weather department on Thursday predicted fresh rain and snowfall from next week, even as cold wave prevailed in the Kashmir valley, where majority water bodies and taps were frozen yet again when minimum temperature witnessed a further drop and many areas, including Srinagar, recorded coldest night.
The first day of ”New Year” is likely bring some relief as a first Western Disturbance (WD) could hit the region and could result in scattered rain in Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and isolated in UT of Ladakh region, A Met department spokesman said.
He said that weather will remain dry till December 31. However, a fresh WD could hit the region on the first day of “2020”, when there could be scattered rain or snow in Kashmir and Jammu and isolated in Ladakh region, he said. This system will help increase in the minimum temperature, he said.
Drass, a border town in UT Ladakh, was again coldest at minus 30.2 degree minimum temperature while at Leh it was minus 18 degree against yesterday’s minus 17.8 degree. The sky would remain mainly clear during the next 24 hours and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around zero degree and minus 18 degree respectively at Leh during the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the Sun again greeted people as they woke up this morning though the intensity of the heat remained low due to icy cold winds. Dry and chilly weather conditions had resulted in increase in cold related diseases, including headache, bad cold, chest infection.
Doctors have already issued a warning that elderly persons besides those having heart problem and children should avoid going out, particularly in the morning and evening hours when temperature remained sub zero.
Due to clear sky, the minimum temperature continued to witness drop though maximum temperature remained near or above normal in the valley.
Majority water bodies, including Dal Lake and “ Chunt-Khul” were frozen this morning after Srinagar recorded coldest night of the winter so far at minus 5 degree, three notches below normal. Water supply in many areas was disrupted after taps were frozen. However, frozen water defreeze as the day progress. The Public Health Engineering (PHE) department is stopping water supply through pipes during night to avoid damage though water supply during the day remained normal.
The weather department spokesman said night temperature will drop further during the next 48 hours when sky will remain open and dry.
The sky would remain mainly clear and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 9 degree and minus 6 degree respectively during the next 24 hours in Srinagar.
World famous ski resort of Gulmarg and famed health resort of Pahalgam also recorded drop in the minimum temperature. At Gulmarg, still waiting skiers and tourists, recorded minimum temperature of minus 11.2 degree 2.2 notches colder than yesterday, he said.
Pahalgam recorded minus 12.7 degree minimum temperature against yesterdays minus 11.4 degree. Snow on upper reaches remained frozen due to which water level in river Lidder and other water bodies witnessed drop.
Qazigund, gateway of Kashmir in south Kashmir recorded coldest night at minus 9.8 degree against minus 9.4 degree witnessed yesterday. Kokernag, a tourist resort in south Kashmir also witnessed drop in the minimum temperature and settled at minus 6.9 degree against yesterdays minus 6.7 degree. There was however, no change in the minimum temperature at Kupwara in north Kashmir which remained minus 5.6 degree.
Jammu To Srinagar Traffic On Highway Today
Traffic from Jammu to Srinagar will ply on the Srinagar-Jammu highway on Friday with both light and heavy motor vehicles allowed to move.
SSP Traffic (Rural) Muzaffar Shah said that one-way traffic will be allowed to ply on the highway on Friday. However, he said light motor vehicles will have to cross Udhampur till 12 noon after which the trucks will be allowed to ply.
The highway was partially reopened on Monday after remaining closed for three consecutive days due to landslides and accumulation of snow. Only stranded vehicles were allowed to move on the highway till yesterday.
Since early November, the highway got closed several times due to snowfall and landslides causing huge inconvenience to the travellers
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