Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Dec 26: As the cold wave continued to grip entire northern region, Jammu’s day temperature has gone about 11 degree below normal, showing sharp fall in temperature while the foggy weather conditions disrupted air and train traffic in the region today.
Since December 19, Jammu’s day temperature continued to fall gradually. It was nearly 8 degree below normal on December 22 while today it has gone nearly 11 degree Celsius below normal. The night temperature has also shown sharp decline. It has also gone nearly 5.2 degree below normal.
A Met office spokesman told the Excelsior that Jammu recorded minimum temperature of 3.8 degree Celsius and maximum 9.3 degree C. The normal day temperature of Jammu should be 20 degree Celsius and night temperature around 9 degree C. The figures indicated that day temperature in the winter capital has gone nearly 11 degree C below normal whereas, the night temperature about 5.2 degree Celsius.
Due to foggy weather conditions, the Sun was not visible almost through out the day in plain and semi-plain areas of Jammu region. As the earth is not experiencing heat waves, the temperature continued to fall. The weather has also badly hit the train services by one hour to ten hours, while many flights were late by two to four hours today.
The spokesman further disclosed that Srinagar’s temperature has also shown significant fall in temperature. The city recorded the maximum temperature of 4.1 degree C and minimum -4.2 degree C. Leh’s day temperature was 4.1 degree C and night -14.2 degree C whereas, Kargil recorded maximum temperature of -0.6 degree C and minimum -13.6 degree C.
Katra Mata Vaishnodevi recorded a minimum temperature of 5.7 degree C and maximum 15.5 degree, Bhaderwah minimum -1.0 degree C and maximum 12.9 degree C, Batote minimum 1.5 degree C and maximum 14.9 degree, Banihal minimum -2.1 degree C and maximum 12.7 degree C, Pahalgam minimum -7.0 degree C and maximum 8.0 degree C whereas, tourist resort of Gulmarg in Kashmir recorded the night temperature of -5.6 degree C today.
The weatherman has predicted foggy and cloudy weather conditions in most of the plain areas of Jammu region in next two- three days. He said that in Kashmir, the weather would remain fairly clear and it will improve in Jammu after December 28-29.
A spokesman from Airport Authority of India at Jammu said that most of the flights were late today due to dense fog during morning hours today. The visibility was very poor and most of the flights could operate from the Jammu airport only after 1 pm. Even the first flight which arrives here at round 9 am could land after 1 pm today. Most of the flights were rescheduled and their departure timings were changed.
Meanwhile, a Northern Railways spokesman said that many trains were late by one hour to ten hours as dense fog continue to envelop plain areas of northern region. Pooja Express which was scheduled to arrive here at around 8.10 am had not reached even by 6 pm while its departure time is 6.15 pm from Jammu Railway Station. Its departure was expected around 12 midnight. Varanasi Express was four hour late, Utter Sampark Kranti around two hours, Malwa Express around six and half hours late, Anand Nagar-Udhampur around two and half hours, Kolkatta-Jammu around seven hours late, Jhelum Express by three and half hours, Swaraj by an hour, Bathinda -Jammu five hours late, Hemkund about half an hour, Jammu Mail one and half hour while Amarnath about eight hours late today.
The cloudy and foggy weather conditions have also affected normal vehicular traffic on the highways. Many inter-state buses from Delhi, Chandigarh, Amristsar, Haridwar, Ludhiana, Jaipur etc and other destinations are arriving two to five hours late these days. It is said that due to poor visibility on the highways, the number of road accidents have also increased recently in the northern region. The chilly weather conditions have also restricted the farming activity and free movement of the people during early morning.
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