Srinagar: Heavy Snowfall gripped Kashmir capital, Srinagar on the first day of Chillai-Khurd (20-day-long mild cold period) on Monday as the city did not receive any heavy snowfall during the Chillai-Kalan (40 day-harshest-winter period) besides that the upper reaches of the Kashmir valley reported light to moderate snowfall.
Snowfall also disrupted air and surface traffic; 68 flights including 34 arrivals and 34 departures were canceled, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway was closed and the train services from Banihal to Baramulla were also suspended.
As per reports, heavy snowfall has been reported in Kashmir including Srinagar with 12.5 cm (4.9 inches); South Kashmir’s Qazigund 13.0cm (5 inches), Pahalgam with 22.1cm (8 inches), Kokernag with 8.5cm(3.3 inches, North Kashmir’s Kupwara got 4.5cm (1.7 inches), Gulmarg 30.5cm (12. inches), Pir Panjal’s Banihal 0.4, and Chenab’s Bhaderwah logged 2.0cm.
Also, moderate rainfall with thunderstorms was reported at most places in the Jammu region.
The weatherman predicted more wet spell in the next 12 hours. “Snowfall or rainfall is very likely to continue for the next 12 hours (January 31) and an expected gradual decrease in precipitation from later tonight,” a meteorological department official said.
Regarding temperature, he said that Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against minus 2.4°C on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 0.8°C for the summer capital.
Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 0.1°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night and it was 2.5°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of minus 1.4°C against minus 5.6°C on the previous night and it was 4.7°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.8°C against minus 2.7°C on the previous night and it was 1.8°C above normal for the place, the officials said.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.6°C against minus 7.2°C on the previous night and it was 2.9°C above normal for the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said.
In Kupwara, he said, the mercury settled at minus 0.4°C against minus 1.0°C on the previous night and it was above 2.1°C below normal for the north Kashmir area.
Jammu received 8.9mm of rainfall during the 24 hours and recorded a low of 10.4°C against 7.6°C on the previous night. It was 1.7°C above normal for J&K’s winter capital. Batote received 43.6mm and recorded a low of 1.2°C (below normal by 0.5°C), and Katra received 17.6mm of rain and recorded a low of 9.0°C (2.1°C above normal).
Banihal received 25.5mm of rain and recorded a low of 0.2°C (above normal by 0.4°C), Bhadarwah received 34.8mm of rain during the time and recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.6°C (0.2°C below normal).
Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 0.6°C and minus 6.8°C respectively, the official said.
(GNS)