KO File Photo: Abid Bhat
Srinagar: As Kashmir continues to reel under intense cold wave, the weather department on Wednesday predicted another wet spell from Friday night in Jammu and Kashmir which might lead to temporary disruption of surface and air traffic.
According to a meteorological official, most of the places in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to receive widespread snowfall between January 22-January 24 under the influence of a fresh western disturbance of moderate intensity which is most likely to affect J&K and Kargil district of Ladakh during the night of January 22.
“The main activity will be on January 23-24. This will cause widespread moderate snowfall in hilly areas of Jammu, plains of Kashmir, rain in plains of Jammu and light snowfall at scattered places of Ladakh especially in Kargil district,” the official said, adding that the wet spell may lead to temporary disruption of surface and aircraft traffic.
However, the official added that the intensity of snowfall will be lesser than the previous spell as there is little or no moisture supply from Arabian Sea.
“Thereafter weather is likely to remain mainly dry for subsequent 4 to 5 days,” he added.
Meanwhile, there was little respite from the intense cold wave conditions in Kashmir on Wednesday as the minimum temperature across the valley stayed several degrees below the freezing point, a MET department official said.
Srinagar city recorded a low of minus 6 degrees Celsius, up from minus 7 degrees Celsius the previous night, the official said.
The minimum temperature in the city on Tuesday night was nearly four degrees below normal for this time of the year, he said.
The minimum temperature at the Gulmarg skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district settled at minus 6.5 degrees Celsius on Tuesday night, down from minus 6.3 degrees Celsius the night earlier.
Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius marginally up from the previous night’s minus 8.4 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 8.7 degrees Celsius and was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir, the official said.
Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag in south recorded minus 7.9 degrees Celsius.
Several water bodies in the valley have frozen due to the bone chilling cold.
A thick layer of ice settles over several roads in the city and elsewhere in the valley, making it difficult for motorists to drive in the early hours. However, the situation improves as the valley is experiencing unusual winter sunshine.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’ — the 40-day harshest winter period when a cold wave grips the region and the temperature drops considerably leading to the freezing of water bodies including the famous Dal Lake here as well as the water supply lines in several parts of the valley.
The chances of snowfall are the most frequent and maximum during this period and most areas, especially in the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.
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