Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 5: While temperature in Kashmir and parts of Jammu experienced slight rise with the improvement in weather, dense fog in plains of Jammu and northern region delayed nine trains and eight flights today.
The minimum temperature across Kashmir today rose slightly to provide some respite from the intense cold conditions with Weatherman predicting possibility of light snowfall in higher reaches.
However, the temperature, settled several degrees below the freezing point, was still below normal for this time of the season at most places.
The continued sub-zero temperature has led to the freezing of several water bodies, including the Dal lake, here as a thin layer of ice formed over their surface.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 3 degrees Celsius last night, compared to minus 3.8 degrees Celsius the previous night.
Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night’s minus 5.1 degrees Celsius.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 3.5 degrees Celsius – up from the previous night’s minus 4.2 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius while Kokernag town saw the minimum settle at minus 2 degrees Celsius and Kupwara recorded a minimum of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius.
Winter capital recorded a minimum temperature of 5.1 degree Celsius which is slightly up as compared to that of yesterday, while maximum temperature remained 14.4 deg C.
Bhaderwah town recorded a minimum temperature of 0.2 degrees C, Batote 3.0 degrees , Katra 6.1 while Banihal town nad 0.4 degrees Celsius temperature today.
The Meteorological department said there is a possibility of very light snow over isolated extreme higher reaches.
While the weather would remain mainly dry till January 7 evening, there is a possibility of light snow over isolated areas in the higher reaches of Jammu and Kashmir on January 8-9.
The chances of snowfall are the highest during this period and most areas, especially the higher reaches, receive heavy snowfall.
An official spokesman said that one IndiGo flight was cancelled while eight others delayed due to dense fog in Jammu Airport area today. He said out of the 15 scheduled flights, only 14 operated today.
A Northern Railways spokesman said that due to thick fog in the northern region and parts of Jammu region, nine trains arrived late at Jammu station today. He said Guwahati Express was late by 9 hours, Jhelum Express 5 hours, Hemkund, Malwa and Madras Express late by 4 hrs, Superfast late by 3 hrs, Jammu Mail and Tata Muri by two hours while Utter Sampark Kranti was late by an hour. The departure of Puja was delayed by 6 hours and Guwahati Express by 4 hours, he added.