SRINAGAR: Night temperature remained below freezing point even as cloud cover engulfed Kashmir Valley on Tuesday after nearly a week of sunny weather, with the MeT department predicting rain or snow for three days starting from Wednesday.
“A fresh western disturbance has become active raising the possibility of light to moderate rains or snow from January 21 to 23,” a spokesman of the MET department said.
Like the past few days, Tuesday started with a sunny note, but later the sun disappeared behind cloud cover, bringing in a fresh cold wave due to the approaching western disturbance, main system affecting weather in the Valley.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), rain and snowfall will occur in the region due to the influence of a western disturbance over the eastern parts of Iran and Afghanistan.
The maximum temperature recorded in Srinagar on Tuesday was 13.6 degrees Celsius – eight degrees above normal.
Due to mostly clear sky, the night temperature, however, continued to remain several degrees below the freezing point as Srinagar recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius against minus 2.6 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai Kalan’ the 40-day harshest winter period – which began on December 21 and would end on January 31. Chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent during this period, however, this year the weather remained mostly dry with occassional snowfall in the higher reaches and rains in the plains.
‘Chillai Kalan’ would be followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’.
GP Sharma, vice-president of meteorology at private weather forecaster Skymet Weather Services, said on Tuesday: “We expect heavy rainfall over higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir in the next 24 hours. This will be followed by moderate-to-heavy rain and snow in the lower and middle ranges over the hilly state from January 21 to 23.”
The forecast presents a challenge, particularly to J&K where relief and rehabilitation of families hit by floods of September 2014 is still on and people continue to live in temporary shelters, camps and tents in many flood hit areas.
“Roads could be closed and avalanches could take place in this scenario,” said Laxman Singh Rathore, director general of IMD.
The 294-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway is the only motorable road link between the Kashmir Valley and rest of the world.
An official at the New Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport said it was early to say whether flights to Srinagar would be cancelled and if travellers should reschedule their plans.
“Delays and cancellation could happen if it snows heavily,” he said. However, while snow and rains could affect the daily lives of the people, the forecast bodes well for apple, pear, plum, peaches, apricot and cherry growers. Snow is considered ‘white manure’ for apples and the horticulture sector.
Rathore said snow and rains will also lead to inflow of water in rivers, which will help during the summer. Farmers said with the required moisture, trees will be able to absorb the nutrient deposit, which ensures good flowering and leads to bumper production. “We are waiting for the season’s first snowfall. It will be good for the crop,” said Abdul Ahad Rather, a farmer from Anantnag district, where temperature drops to -2 degree Celsius at night. As per the IMD forecast, dense fog is expected over north and north-west India.
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