Fresh snowfall in parts of Kashmir; minimum temperature improves
(Sourced from PTI)
Most parts of Kashmir received fresh snowfall on Wednesday, resulting in significant improvement in the minimum temperature across the Valley and providing huge relief to residents, officials said. The snowfall began during the night and continued at many places when last reports came in, the officials said. However, the snowfall affected flight operations at Srinagar Airport in the morning, causing some flight delays.
Flight operations were hampered due to the accumulation of snow on the runway and poor visibility due to the bad weather. While the runway was cleared of snow, the visibility was low, about 800 meters, for the flight operations to take place, officials said. The decision on the resumption of operations at the airport would be taken after the weather improves.
The Meteorological Office said the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, in north Kashmir, received about six inches of fresh snowfall, while Kupwara, also in the north, recorded about three inches. Other places, including Srinagar, experienced very light snowfall, the officials said. They said there are reports of fresh snowfall in many other areas in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir.
The fresh snowfall, however, did not affect the movement of traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway. An official of the traffic control room said the highway was through for one-way traffic from Srinagar toward Jammu.
The minimum temperature across the valley rose significantly on Tuesday night, providing huge relief to residents. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 0.4 degree Celsius last night, over four degrees up from the previous night's minus 4.6 degree Celsius. Pahalgam tourist resort (south Kashmir), recorded a low of minus 3.9 degree Celsius, over five degrees down from the previous night's minus 9.3 degree Celsius.
The minimum temperature at the Gulmarg skiing resort, in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, settled at minus 5.2 degree Celsius last night up from minus 7 degree Celsius the previous night. The resort was the coldest recorded place in Jammu and Kashmir.
Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, recorded a minimum of 2.8 degree Celsius, up from minus 4.5 degree Celsius the previous night. Kupwara town, (north) recorded a low of minus 1.2 degree Celsius, while Kokernag (south), minus 4.5 degree Celsius. The MeT Office has forecast the possibility of light to moderate snow/rain at scattered to fairly-widespread places of Jammu & Kashmir till Thursday.
