Srinagar, Jan 1 (UNI) Kashmir valley is bracing for another spell of snowfall amid freezing temperatures triggering bone chilling cold on Wednesday.
The Meteorological Centre in Srinagar said that two back-to-back Western Disturbances (WD) are expected to affect Jammu and Kashmir starting from today. According to the forecast, a feeble WD is likely to bring light snowfall to scattered areas of Jammu and Kashmir on January 1 and 2, with conditions improving thereafter.
“There is a possibility of a snow spell in higher reaches of Kupwara, Bandipora, Baramulla in north Kashmir and in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district today”, Faizan Arif, an independent forecaster said.
A moderate WD will strike during January 3 to 6 and can cause light to moderate rain over the plains of Jammu and snow at many places of Jammu and Kashmir with the peak activity between January 4 and 5, the MeT office said adding that there is a possibility of heavy snow at isolated higher reaches during the period.
The MeT office has also issued an advisory stating that in view of snowfall, sub- freezing temperature and icy conditions over roads including plains/higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir, Tourists/travellers/Transporters are advised to follow Admin/Traffic advisory.
There is no let-up in relentless cold weather conditions in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir valley that have frozen major water bodies disrupting normal life.
The minimum temperature recorded during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday at Srinagar slipped to -4.4°C against the -3.5°C the previous night. This was 2.0°C below average for the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir during the period.
Gulmarg witnessed a marginal improvement in the minimum temperature but it remained the coldest place of the valley with a low of -8.8°C against the -11.5°C a day ago. This was 2.1°C below the average for the famous ski resort of north Kashmir during this period of the season.
Pahalgam also witnessed a slight improvement in night temperature and recorded a low of -7.6°C on Wednesday against the -8.4°C the previous night and this was 1.7°C below normal for the tourist spot in south Kashmir’s Anantnag for the day.
The picnic spot of Kokernag further dipped by a couple of notches and recorded at -5.8°C against -5.6°C on Tuesday and it was 2.9°C below normal for the south Kashmir destination.
Qazigund had a low of -6.0°C against the -7.5°C recorded the previous night. This was 3.0°C below normal for the gateway to Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu National highway in South Kashmir.
The frontier Kashmir district of Kupwara dipped to -0.3°C against thet 0.1°C a day ago and this was 2.3°C above normal for the place during this period of the season, the MeT office said.
