EARLY TIMES REPORT
SRINAGAR, Feb 2: The chilly weather conditions during the day has intensified as the mercury dipped due to overcast conditions and ice cold winds in the summer capital, Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, where a fresh spell of snow is predicted from Tuesday.
However, barring Srinagar and tourist resort of Pahagam, the minimum temperature improved due to cloudy skies though it settled below normal across the valley.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light rain and snow would occur at many places under the influence of a fresh Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. ''Under the influence of this WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea, light to moderate snow would occur at most places in the valley on Wednesday,'' he said, adding the weather is expected to improve from Friday onwards.
After witnessing a dip of 1.5 degree Celsius in the night temperature from Monday, people in Srinagar woke up to a chilly and cloudy Tuesday morning. The weather remained chilly throughout the day in the city due to overcast conditions.
Against minus 3.1 degree recorded on Monday, the night temperature in Srinagar settled at minus 4.6 degree, which is about 4 degree below normal. Drivers and mechanics could be seen burning wood on roadsides to keep themselves warm in Srinagar, where water supply remained disrupted in most of the households for the past five days as taps and water bodies, including world famous Dal Lake, remained frozen.
He said the skies would be partly cloudy while light snowfall could occur during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperature is expected to settle at 3 degree and minus 2 degree, respectively.
World famous tourist resort of Pahalgam was the coldest places in the valley even as the mercury dipped about 3 degree from Monday and settled at minus 9.3 degree, which is about 3 degree below normal. Besides Srinagar, Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, was the second place where the mercury dipped while in rest of the places the night temperature improved.
The mercury at world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, improved about a degree from Monday and settled at minus 7 degree, which is slightly above normal. The tourists at Gulmarg, which is known for its ski slopes and quality of snow, woke up to a chilly and cloudy Tuesday morning. ''The weather remained cloudy in the resort throughout the day, resulting in chilly weather conditions. But, that tourists are out on ski slopes, enjoying different snow related activities,'' a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
The night temperature at Qazigund, gateway to the valley, Kupwara in north Kashmir and tourist resort of Kukernag improved and settled at 4.5 degree, minus 1.6 degree and minus 8.4 degree, respectively. |
