 Early Times Report
Srinagar, Jan 20: Jammu and Kashmir continues to be trapped under a canopy of snow.
The state received fresh snowfall on Sunday, disrupting normal life and cutting it off from the rest of the country.
The meteorological department has predicted widespread rain and snow over the state with heavy falls at isolated places for the next three days.
The snowfall led to cancellation of flights and delays at the Srinagar airport.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 0.3 degrees Celsius on Saturday night, a MeT official said.
Qazigund -- the gateway town to the Valley -- in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 0.4 degrees Celsius.
The mercury in north Kashmir's Kupwara town settled at a low of minus 0.5 degree Celsius.
The ski resort of Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, while the tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.0 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperatures in Leh, in the frontier Ladakh region, and Drass were recorded at minus 9.7 degrees Celsius and minus 16.2 degrees Celsius, respectively.
Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir, Baseer Ahmad Khan on Saturday issued fresh avalanche warning for nine avalanche prone districts of Kashmir division. The warning has been issued for the avalanche-prone areas of district Shopian Kulgam, Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kargil and Leh.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of 'Chillai-Kalan' - the 40-day period of winter - when the chances of snowfall are frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
Chillai-Kalan ends on January 31, but the cold wave will continue even after that in Kashmir. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long 'Chillai-Khurd' (small cold) and a 10-day long 'Chillai-Bachha' (baby cold). |
