Srinagar.
A day after snowfall in the Himalayan areas of Jammu and Kashmir, a huge drop in night temperature was recorded in many areas of Kashmir on Monday. The Meteorological Department has predicted more cold in the coming days. The Srinagar-based Meteorological Center said the ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded a minimum temperature of -9 degrees Celsius, which is 5.4 degrees below normal. This is the lowest temperature this season in the weather monitoring centers of Kashmir Valley.
The Meteorological Department said in the latest update that the coming week will be cold and dry. “Severe cold and dry weather will prevail over many centers during the next 7 days,” it said. However, on Monday, the day was sunny and relatively warm in the capital Srinagar. “On a sunny day, the temperature drops at night due to clear sky at night,” meteorologist M Hussain Mir said.
On Sunday, fresh snowfall occurred in the higher reaches of Kashmir including Gulmarg, Kupwara and Peer Ki Gali, due to which Mughal Road and Sinthan Road were closed. Mughal Road, Sinthan Road and Srinagar-Sonmarg and Gumri Road are still closed due to snow accumulation, the traffic police said in a post on Twitter. The Meteorological Department’s update said that the tourist destination of Pahalgam in South Kashmir also recorded the lowest temperature of this season at -6.8 degrees Celsius, which is about 4 degrees below normal.
Qazigund in the south recorded a minimum temperature of -5.2 degrees Celsius, which is about 4.5 degrees below normal. The mercury in summer capital Srinagar dropped to -3.3 degrees Celsius on Monday compared to -0.5 degrees Celsius on Sunday. The lowest temperature of this season was recorded at -4.1 degrees Celsius in the capital on Friday. The mercury also dropped below zero in border areas of North Kashmir, including Kupwara, where the minimum temperature was recorded at -4.4 degrees Celsius.
The Meteorological Department has now predicted dry weather for the next three days. According to IMD, December 12 will be generally cloudy with light snowfall in some higher reaches. The Meteorological Department has said in the latest bulletin that the weather will be generally dry from December 13 to 18. Due to snowfall on Sunday, the mountain roads have become slippery due to cold in the morning. Meanwhile, the Center has issued a tourist advisory urging tourists and travelers to follow the advice of the administration.
It said that in view of sub-zero temperatures and icy conditions on important passes and roads in high altitude areas, tourists and travelers are advised to follow administration/traffic advisories. Several district level officials have issued advisories urging transporters to use 4 by 4 vehicles or wear chains on tires while traveling on hilly roads. The Meteorological Department has said that cold wave is going on in Kashmir. The valley is gearing up for the harshest winter period of 40 days, which will begin from December 21.
