Kashmir Valley receives snowfall
The overnight snowfall in Kashmir led to an increase in night temperatures by several notches in most places of the Valley and Ladakh region, giving a brief respite to residents.
Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, received 2.3 mm snowfall and recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.3 degrees Celsius, up by almost two notches from the previous night’s minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, an official of the MeT Department said in Srinagar.
The minimum temperature in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir, went up by five notches from the previous night’s minus 12.4 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg registered a low of minus 9.7 degrees Celsius, as against the previous night’s minus 9.8 degrees Celsius.
Pahalgam received 0.6 mm of snowfall, while Gulmarg recorded 3.5 mm of snow last night.
The MeT official said Qazigund, gateway town to Kashmir Valley, received 2.4 mm snowfall and recorded an increase of over three notches in minimum temperature at minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 8.0 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Kokernag, in south, recorded a low of minus 5.5 degrees Celsius, an increase of over five notches from minus 10.6 degrees Celsius the previous night, he said.
The minimum in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at minus 1.8 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night’s minus 2.8 degree Celsius.
Leh, in Ladakh region, recorded a low of minus 7.9 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s minus 8.6 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in Kargil settled at a low of minus 13.1 degrees Celsius, three degrees up from minus 16.1 degrees Celsius the previous night.
The MeT Department has said the weather would remain cloudy in Kashmir Valley, but it is expected to remain dry over the next 24 hours.
It has forecast snowfall and rains across the Valley on January 8 and 9.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road-link connecting Kashmir Valley with the rest of the country, is open for traffic. “The national highway is open for traffic and as per the schedule, vehicles have been allowed to ply from Srinagar to Jammu,” a traffic department spokesman said.
Record breaking temperature in Hisar
Intense cold wave sweeping Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh continued unabated in most parts with mercury plummeting to record breaking minus 2.1 degrees Celsius at Hisar on Monday.
Normal life was also disrupted in the region as visibility level dropped due to foggy conditions at several places in the two states this morning.
Hisar recorded seven degrees below normal, its lowest in several years, a MeT official in Chandigarh said.
Amritsar and Adampur in Punjab also reeled under intense cold recording respective minimums of 0.3 deg C and 1.5 deg C.
Among other places, Karnal experienced a cold night at 2 deg C, down five notches, while Bhiwani’s low settled at 2.6 deg C. Ambala registered a low of 6.1 deg C.
Chandigarh (4.7 C), Patiala (4.6 C) and Ludhiana (4.7 C) recorded near similar below normal minimum temperatures as cold conditions continued unabated.
Besides, several parts of Punjab and Haryana, including Hisar, Karnal, Amritsar, Patiala, Bathinda, Narnaul and Ludhiana remained engulfed under fog this morning adversely affecting normal life.
The MeT has forecast no immediate relief from the ongoing cold conditions during the next few days.
Cold continue in Rajasthan
Cold conditions continued unabated in Rajasthan where fog also affected normal life with some trains running late.
Foggy conditions have disrupted normal life in Rajasthan affecting rail and road traffic where vehicles were moving at a snail’s pace and some trains running behind the schedule.
Churu in the desert state recorded a night temperature of 1.6 degrees C, while Pilani and Chittorgarh recorded a minimum of 2.5 and 5.7 degrees Celsius respectively.
Bikaner, Jaipur, Ajmer and Barmer also recorded a low of 6.1, 6.3, 6.5 and 7.4 degrees Celsius, according to the MeT Department in Jaipur.
Meanwhile, in a fog-related incident, at least ten vehicles (cars, trucks) rammed into each other on Delhi-Jaipur highway at Chandwaji, 100 kms from Jaipur, this morning, police said.
No casualty was reported, they said, adding except vehicles were damaged blocking the national highway which was later cleared.
