14 trains delayed, 6 flights cancelled due to fog
Fayaz Bukhari / Gopal Sharma
SRINAGAR/ JAMMU, Jan 9: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy snowfall in Kashmir this week due to fresh Western Disturbances while due to dense fog, 14 trains were delayed and six flights cancelled at Jammu today.
The senior scientist at IMD, RK Jenamani, forecast heavy snowfall in Kashmir where the weather so far has been dry and there has been very little snow in the hills.
“Heavy snowfall is expected in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh on January 11 and 12,” he said.
In the meantime, Deputy Director Meteorological Department in Srinagar, Mukhtar Ahmad said that the fresh WD is likely to affect J&K and adjoining areas from January 11 afternoon.
He, however, said that there will be light to moderate rains and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir under the influence of the WD and isolated heavy snowfall over the hills of North Kashmir.
“Under the influence of the WD, light to Moderate rain/snow (rain in plains and light snow over higher reaches of Jammu division) most likely at several places of J&K with moderate snowfall intensity over higher reaches (isolated heavy over higher reaches of Kashmir especially Keran, Machil, Gurez, Tulail, Sonamarg, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, higher reaches of Budgam, higher reaches of Shopian and Kulgam) with main activity during 11th late night to 12th late night and gradual decrease thereafter,” he said.
He said that the WD is very likely to affect surface transportation over higher reaches during January 12.
Meanwhile, Gulmarg and Pahalgam along with other higher reaches received fresh snowfall while light rains lashed plains including Srinagar amid increase in night temperature today.
Srinagar recorded a low of 0.9°C against last night’s minus 0.1°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 2.8°C above normal for the city which received 0.5mm of rainfall.
Qazigund recorded a low of 0.2°C against minus 1.3°C. Today’s minimum temperature was 1.8°C above normal for the town that had 0.8 mm of rain today.
Pahalgam received 0.2cm of snowfall during the time and recorded a low of minus 0.7°C against minus 1.4°C the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature was 6.3°C above normal for the place. The coldest night recorded this season at Pahalgam was on January 2 when mercury plunged to minus 9.6°C.
Kokernag also received 0.7 mm of rain and recorded a low of minus 0.5°C against minus 1.6°C the previous night. It was 3.5°C above normal for the place.
Gulmarg received 9 cm of snowfall and recorded a low of minus 2.5°C against minus 3.4°C the previous night. It was 5.3°C above normal for the skiing resort that had its coldest night this season on January 2 when minimum temperature plummeted to minus 10.0°C.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at 0.7°C against 0.4°C the previous night. It received 13.4mm of rain during the 24 hours and the temperature was 3.4°C above normal. Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 6.6°C and minus 7.5°C respectively.
Meanwhile, dense fog continued to affect air, train, vehicular traffic in plain areas of Jammu and parts of Punjab, Haryana and Delhi NCR. Due to fog six flights were canceled while several delayed in the J&K region while a few morning flights arrived late due to foggy weather and poor visibility in Jammu. Indigo flights are being cancelled for the last few days in the region.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that at least 14 trains arrived late by one to 13 hours at Jammu Station today. The departure time of two trains Vande Bharat and Begumpura Express was rescheduled.
Malwa Express train arrived 12 hours late today, Tata-Sambalpur -JAT Exp late by 13 hours, Pooja Express by 5.20 hours, Rajdhani Exp by 5 hours, Jhelum Exp by 5 hours, Sealdah by 3 hours, Begumpura Exp by 4.30 hours, Duronto by 2.30 hrs, Shalimar by 2.30 hrs, Hemkund Exp by two hours, Mordhwaj Exp by 4 hours, Himgiri Express by 2.40 hrs and Vande Bharat by one hour from the scheduled time. The departure of Begumpura Exp was 3 hours late while that of Vande Bharat by an hour from its scheduled time.
There has been some improvement in day temperature in Jammu today as compared to Sunday while night temperature has also shown a little increase.The sky remained partly cloudy in Jammu today with dense fog during morning and evening hours.
Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 5.2 degree Celsius and maximum 14.1 deg C; Katra Mata Vaishnodevi a minimum temperature of 10.5 deg C while maximum 18.0 deg C; Bhaderwah town a minimum temperature of 5.2 deg C, Banihal 5.1 deg C while Batote a minimum temperature of 7.0 degree C today.
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