2 trains to Jammu cancelled
Fayaz Bukhari/ Govind Sharma
SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Dec 27: The cold wave intensified in Kashmir today with temperatures breaking the 28 year old record as Srinagar shivered at minus 7.6 degree Celsius freezing the water bodies while the winter capital of the State, Jammu got some relief from the biting cold as minimum temperature today increased from yesterday’s 3.5 degree Celsius to 4.3 degree Celsius.
A Meteorological department official said that Srinagar recorded coldest night of the season as temperature last night plunged to minus 7.6 degree Celsius breaking the December 31, 2007 record of minus 7.2 degree. After December 7, 1990, when the minimum temperature had dropped to minus 8.8 degree Celsius, today was the coldest night since then.
The cold wave led to freezing of water taps, lakes, ponds and other water bodies in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir. The Sun, however, came out in the afternoon bringing some kind of relief from the intense cold weather and the maximum day temperature settled at 8.1 degree Celsius.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 8.3 degree Celsius and the maximum day temperature of the tourist place settled at 4.5 degree Celsius. The minimum temperature in Gulmarg was minus 9 degree Celsius while the maximum day temperature settled at 1.6 degree Celsius.
Leh recorded a minimum of minus 8.4 degree Celsius and maximum of 0.2 degree Celsius. The adjacent Kargil shivered at minus 16.2 degree Celsius while the maximum day temperature settled at minus 3.2 degree Celsius. Drass was the coldest town in the State at minus 20.6 degree Celsius. The maximum temperature in the town on Wednesday was minus 8 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded minimum of 4.3 degree Celsius and maximum of 17.2, Katra minimum of 3.7 and maximum 14.2 while the minimum and maximum temperatures at Batote were minus 2.2 and 10.2. Banihal town recorded minimum of minus 3.5 and maximum of 10.2 whereas the minimum temperature at Bhaderwah was recorded at minus 2.5 degree Celsius.
Due to foggy conditions in New Delhi and other North Indian States like UP, Punjab and Haryana, two trains have been cancelled while another arrived about 8 hours late at Railway Station, Jammu. “Himgiri Express which was scheduled to arrive today at 12:35 PM at Railway Station Jammu, was cancelled. Similarly, Sharda Express which had to reach Jammu at 9:20 AM tomorrow stands cancelled,” an official of Railway Station Jammu said. Besides this, he said, Train No 12491 reached Jammu late by more than 8 hours.
However, flight operations remained normal at Jammu Airport except one Air India Flight, which was late by an hour.
Amid drastic dip in mercury over past few days in Kashmir, MeT has forecast light rain and snow in the first week of January that would end present dry and cold weather spell.
The official said that there are healthy chances of precipitation in January at regular intervals. “From first to 3rd of January, there is a forecast of precipitation in the Valley and in the extended forecast the Valley will experience snow and rain throughout January”, he said.
The MeT official said that there was more than expected dip in mercury last night. “The reason is that the sky remained largely clear due to a low pressure zone over Tibetan plateau”, he said.
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