| Weather woes to continue; Kashmir receives snow, incessant rain for 3rd day | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Mar 12: The weather woes are expected to continue till March 16 even as intermittent snowfall continued for the third successive day on Friday in the upper reaches, including world famous ski resort of Gulmarg and border town of Gurez, while rain lashed plains in Kashmir valley.
The night temperature witnessed a considerable dip due to wet weather across the valley, where a snow avalanche and landslide warning has been issued for vulnerable areas in view of incessant rain and snowfall during the last 48 hours. Meanwhile, Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) department on Friday said that there was no threat of floods in the valley as the major rainfall activity was recorded in north Kashmir.
A Met department spokesperson told UNI that light to moderate rain and snow would occur during the next 24 hours in Kashmir under the influence of a Western Disturbance (WD), which is active in the region. “Current weather is likely to persist during day time. Expect gradual improvement from evening,” he said, adding there is a possibility of thunderstorm with rain most likely at some places of south Kashmir on Friday.
He said people are being advised to remain alert for landslide and snow avalanche in vulnerable spots as land is fully saturated.
He said another WD, which originated from the Arabian Sea and is approaching the region though Afghanistan and Pakistan, will hit the region on Saturday evening. “Under the influence of this WD, light rain and snow would occur at many places in the valley,” he added. He said the weather is expected to improve from March 16 onwards.
Normal life was thrown out of gear even as intermittent heavy rain continued for the third successive day on Friday, resulting in water-logging in most of the roads and lanes in the summer capital, Srinagar. Pedestrian and vehicular movement was badly affected due to waterlogged roads in the city, where the night temperature settled a degree below normal. Against 6.8 degree recorded on Wednesday, the night temperature in Srinagar dipped and settled at 2.2 degree. The maximum temperature also remained several degrees below normal during the last couple of days due to wet weather, forcing people to once again wear sweaters and jackets, besides use other heating gadgets to keep themselves warm.
He said skies will be partly cloudy to generally cloudy during the next 24 hours in Srinagar, where the maximum and minimum temperature is expected to settle at 12 degree and 2 degree, respectively.
Tourists continued to enjoy as Gulmarg received 15 inches of fresh snowfall overnight. The ski resort, which is already covered under several feet of snow, received over 2 feet of snow fresh snowfall during the last 48 hours, resulting in chilly weather conditions. The ski resort continued to remain the only place in the valley where the night temperature settled below freezing point. Against minus 1.5 degree recorded on Thursday, the mercury dipped and settled at minus 2.4 degree, which is a degree above normal. “Tourists are having a time of their life following snowfall during the last two days. Many of them are witnessing snowfall for the time ever in their lives. Despite chilly weather conditions, they are out on ski slopes enjoying different activities,” a hotelier told UNI over the phone.
He said the ski resort, which is about 55 km from here in north Kashmir, witnessed a huge influx of tourists this winter season after zero business during the last two years. “Most of the hotels are booked to April end in Gulmarg,” he added.
World famous health resort of Pahalgam, about 100 km from here in south Kashmir, continued to receive rain since Wednesday morning, resulting in dip in the minimum and maximum temperature.
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