Season’s Ist snowfall on higher reaches
Gopal Sharma/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Oct 6: Season’s first snowfall in the higher reaches and showers in the plains of Kashmir and many parts of Jammu region today led to a sharp fall in temperature, while the roads have been closed due to heavy snowfall on some higher passes.
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Official sources said that due to snowfall at Sinthan Pass on Kishtwar- Anantnag road, Mughal Road connecting Rajouri-Poonch with Shopian in Kashmir, Chattergalla Pass between Bhaderwah and Bani in Kathua district; Zojila Pass between Kashmir and Ladakh, Bangus in Kupwara, Razdan Pass in Gurez valley and other higher-altitude areas, the road communication has been snapped.
Light to moderate rainfall was witnessed in the plains of Kashmir, including Srinagar city, while the higher reaches like Gulmarg, Minimarg, Daksum etc have received moderate snowfall. The day temperature in the Valley dipped by nearly 10 degrees, with the city recording a maximum of around 11 degrees Celsius on Monday, compared to 22.6 degrees Celsius recorded a day earlier.
The Meteorological Department has forecast continued wet weather for the next 24 hours in the Valley and many parts of Jammu region. It said light to moderate rain (light to moderate snow over higher reaches) till afternoon and then some improvement in the weather will be observed on October 7. He predicted brief spell of light rain at a few places in J&K on October 8 while from Oct 9 to Oct 16, generally dry weather.
With rain since early this morning and light to moderate snowfall on the higher reaches in Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch and Ramban, a sharp fall in the temperature has been experienced.
A MeT spokesman said that Jammu recorded a day temperature of 21.3 degree Celsius on Monday while the Temple city recorded 31.0 degree C temperature on Sunday. About 10 to 12 degree C fall in temperature has been experienced in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Katra, Batote, Bhaderwah, Rajouri and other places in the region.
Bhaderwah town recorded day temperature of 10.0 deg C, Holy township of Katra 18.0 degree C; Banihal 11.2 degre C and Batote town in Ramban 12.6 degree C on Monday. However, temperature at Bhaderwah a day earlier (On Sunday), was 19.7 degree C; Kathua 31.2 degree C, Kihstwar 17. 4 deg C, Ramban 28.2 deg C, and Reasi 29.5 deg C.
Batote recorded 25.3 mm rainfall, Bhaderwah in district Doda 25 mm, Katra 17.5 mm. Jammu 12.8 mm while Banihal 9.2 mm rainfall during last 24 hours. Chattergalla Pass, Pir Ki Gali and Sinthan Pass reported to have recorded about 1 to 1.5 ft of snowfall today.
It was heavily raining in many parts of Jammu late this evening and several low lying areas of the Temple City were waterlogged, affecting smooth movement of traffic. The bikers and the elderly people took out jackets and woolens in view of the sharp fall in temperature today.
With the snowfall in the hills and rains in the Valley, the maximum temperature settled below normal across the region with Srinagar recording a day temperature of 12.5 degree Celsius which is 13.0 degree Celsius below normal.
Kupwara recorded 10.8 degree Celsius which is 16.0 degree Celsius below normal while Qazigund recorded 13.5 degree Celsius which is 10.6 degree Celsius below normal.
Pahalgam recorded a day temperature of 9.2 degree Celsius which is 13.2 degree Celsius below normal and Kokernag recorded 12.1 degree Celsius which is 11.7 degree Celsius below normal. Gulmarg recorded a maximum temperature of 4.4 degree Celsius which is 12.1 degree Celsius below normal.
Meanwhile, with the dip in mercury, the power demand in Kashmir has increased by nearly 200 Megawatts.
An official said that Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has witnessed an additional demand of nearly 200 MW of power in the past two days.
“Earlier, there used to be a power demand ranging from 1350 to 1400 MWs. However, from the past two days the demand has increased by nearly 200 MWs,” he said.
The official further informed that KPDCL is trying to provide improved power supply to the consumers. “This year there has been a noticeable improvement and there will likely be better power supply for the Kashmir region in the winters.”
Meanwhile, season’s first snowfall at famous tourist destination Guldanda located at around 35 kms from Bhaderwah town and a height 9,555 ft above sea level on Bhaderwah-Pathankot highway lifts hopes of tourism revival, which has been reeling post Pahalgam attack.
Tourism players said the early snowfall at Guldanda, Chattergalla and majestic Ashapati and Kailash peaks can help revive confidence among visitors and draw them back to Bhaderwah valley.
The spell of snow since early morning not only lowered temperatures across the Chenab Valley but also brighten up the hopes of Bhaderwah’s struggling tourism industry, which has been facing worst downfall since the Pahalgam terror attack in April followed by hostility on Indo-Pak border and off late the worst flood fury which damaged infrastructure especially roads.
We are hopeful that this snowfall will bring back tourists in large numbers. Guldanda has been the heart of our winter tourism since last 3 years, and after months of uncertainty, we see this as a fresh beginning,” said a hotelier from Bhaderwah Manish Kotwal.
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