Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Mar 1: Heavy rains lashed the plains in Kashmir valley since last night, with upper reaches receiving heavy snowfall and the weather man forecasting that the rain and snow will continue in the region till Tuesday afternoon.
Director Met department Sonam Lotus told Excelsior that the region has been receiving heavy rains and snow form the last 24 hours due to fresh Western Disturbances.
“We are expecting a heavy rainfall in plain areas of the Kashmir region and a heavy snowfall in its upper reaches. The weather will improve from Tuesday afternoon,” Lotus said.
The bad weather disrupted life across the Valley, with thin traffic plying on the roads and business also got a hit. The summer capital which would otherwise see a bustling flee market on Sunday had its streets and roads deserted.
No vendors and shoppers were seen throughout the day due to the heavy downpour that was continuing till this report was filed.
The bad weather forced the Traffic Department to allow vehicles from Srinagar to Jammu along one-way route.
A Traffic Department spokesman told Excelsior that traffic plied normally along the highway amid rain and snowfall.
“As per schedule, on Monday traffic will be allowed to move from Jammu to Srinagar due to disruption in weather,” the spokesman said.
With the change in weather, a severe chill prevailed in the air from the last two days and is likely to continue for the next two days.
A Met department spokesman told Exceslior that temperature also plummeted by four notches from yesterday across the region due to the bad weather.
He said the minimum temperature in Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir settled at a low of minus 0.2 degrees Celsius, with the mercury settling at maximum 3.8 degrees Celsius. The health resort also received a mix of 3.8 millimeter snow and rainfall.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, on Srinagar-Jammu national highway recorded a low temperature of 0.0 degrees Celsius, and maximum 4.6 degrees Celsius. The town received 14.4 mm rainfall and 3 cm snow, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, registered a minimum temperature of minus 0.2 degrees Celsius and maximum 3.8 degrees Celsius. The tourist resort also received a 5.9 cm mix of snow and rainfall.
In Gulmarg, the famous ski-resort in north Kashmir the minimum temperature settled at minus 3.8 degree Celsius and the maximum temperature was also recorded at minus 8 degree Celsius. The resort has received half an inch snowfall during the night.
The mercury in Kupwara remained at minimum 0.7 degrees Celsius and maximum of 4.2 degree Celsius, the spokesman said, adding the town also received 6.9 mm of rain.
Leh, the frontier town in Ladakh region, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius and maximum 3.3 degrees Celsius.
The nearby Kargil town recorded a minus 8.0 degrees Celsius of and a maximum 0.1 degrees Celsius, he said.
However, the hilly desert did not receive any downpour or snow, the spokesman said.
The heavy downpour also caused water logging in several localities of the summer capital. At least one feet water had accumulated at some junctions of the Residency Road. Several other low lying areas are water logged in the periphery of Srinagar posing problems for the residents.
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