Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Jan 22: While plain areas of Jammu region continued to reel under the grip of dense fog and spine chilling cold, the bright Sun shone over Kashmir valley and many hilly areas of Jammu region today whereas, train and air traffic has been badly hit with the poor visibility.
A Met spokesman said that a sharp fall has been witnessed during the night temperature in Jammu today while day temperature was nearly 8 degree below normal. The winter capital Jammu was again colder than Srinagar today showing difference of 2.3 degree Celsius.
In view of the harsh cold conditions the State Education authorities have changed the school timings in Jammu. As per new order issued by Director School Education Jammu, the timing of all the Govt and private schools has been changed and it will be now from 10 AM to 4 PM.
The Jammu recorded a maximum temperature of 10.7 degree celsius which is nearly 8 degrees below normal and minimum temperature of 5.0 degree celsius. On Thursday, its was 6.9 degree Celsius. The maximum temperature in Srinagar was 13 degree Celsius, indicating that Srinagar was warmer than Jammu during the day. However, the night temperature in Srinagar was recorded as minus 5.3 degree Celsius.
The summer capital witnessed unusual bright Sunshine for the fourth consecutive day today owing to clear skies.
Holy township of Katra Mata Vaishnodevi recorded a maximum temperature of 15.9 degree Celsius and minimum 3.8 degree Celsius, Bhaderwah tourist resort in Jammu region maximum temperature of 16.2 degree Celsius and minimum minus 1.9 degree Celsius while Batote recorded maximum 15.2 degree Celsius and minimum 1.5 degree Celsius.
The spokesman further said that Kargil in Ladakh region was the coldest in the State with the season’s low of minus 16.4 degree celsius. Leh town also shivered at minus 16.2 degree celsius. It experienced a slight drop in the mercury from the previous night’s low of minus 16 degree celsius.
There was slight relief in the night temperatures in Kokernag, Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg, the star attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 5.5 degree celsius while it witnessed 6.4 degree Celsius during the day on Thursday.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 6.9 degree Celsius against yesterday’s minus 7.3 degree Celsius while at Kokernag the mercury settled at a low of minus 2.1 degree Celsius against the previous night’s minus 2.4 degree Celsius. Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5 degree Celsius.
Kashmir is in the midst of the 40-day-long harshest phase of winter (Chillai Kalan), which began on December 21 and will continue till the end of this month.
The Meteorological department has predicted dry weather with occasional bouts of rainfall in the upper reaches during next four days.
The foggy and chilling cold conditions have hit normal life in Jammu by affecting train, air and road traffic. The trains also arrived late one to five hours today while first flight could land at Jammu airport only around 11.30 am instead of 8.45 am. All the flights were late and had to be rescheduled. But all the 17 flights operated from Jammu airport today.
A Railway spokesman said that Andeman Express arrived Jammu station seven hours late, Swaraj Express and Amarnath Express were late by six and half hours, Malwa Express and Jhelum Express arrived five hours late while Jammu Mail and Utter Sampark Kranti were late by one and half hours today. Several trains were being rescheduled this evening.
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