Srinagar, Dec 19: According to weatherman, the upper reaches of Indian administered Kashmir may record heavy snowfall while plains may experience light to moderate snowfall and rain during next 24 hours.
“Owing to persistence of Western Disturbance, we are expecting light to moderate snowfall in the plains while upper reaches may experience heavy snowfall in the next 24 hours,” an official of Weather department said.
‘Western Disturbance’ is a term used in India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh to describe an extra-tropical storm originating in the Mediterranean Sea which results in sudden rain and snow in South Asia.
Kashmir has been reeling under a severe cold wave for last fortnight and the expected rain and snowfall are likely to bring relief by raising the night temperatures, which have remained much below the freezing point during this period.
The weather official said that the day temperatures in Kashmir are likely to fall substantially during this period. “The inclement weather conditions are expected to continue for two days beginning Tuesday,” he said.
He also issued a travel advisory asking those undertaking the journey on Srinagar-Jammu highway, only road link connecting Kashmir with the rest of the world on Tuesday and Wednesday to exercise caution. “Those intending to travel must consult the local traffic authorities before undertaking the journey,” he said.
The official said minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of Kashmir was recorded as – 3.4 degrees Celsius on Monday. “The minimum temperature was – 5.4 in the Pahalgam tourist resort area in South Kashmir while Gulmarg ski resort in North Kashmir saw the mercury drop to – 6.8 degrees.
Qazigund in South Kashmir recorded a minimum of – 3.4 degrees Celsius while the minimum temperature in Kupwara dipped to a low of – 3.7 degrees celsius,” he said.
Ladakh was again the coldest place in the state today at – 13.2 degrees while Kargil town had a minimum of – 12.0 degrees Celsius.
