The weatherman on Friday issued a red alert for heavy-very heavy snow in Jammu and Kashmir. “IMD issues Red Colour (be vigilant) weather warning for J-K for 7 January,” an official of the MeT said.
Currently, it is snowing at most places of Kashmir and hilly areas of Jammu while raining at a few places of the Jammu region. “Expect further increase in rain/snow intensity as the day progresses with the main intensity of heavy to Very heavy rain/snow during 7th (night) and January 8th,” he said in a statement to GNS. “There would be a gradual improvement from January 9th Morning onwards in J-K.
There are four types of color codes signifying the level of caution: green which means no action, yellow—the situation to be watched), amber –government agencies need to be prepared for severe weather, and red –action needed by the agencies. The MeT official said the weather system may affect surface and air transportation, mainly on Saturday. “It may cause avalanche/landslide in vulnerable spots.”
The MeT office has urged people not to venture into avalanche-prone areas, follow traffic advisory seriously as well as maintain proper ventilation of their rooms. Meanwhile, the MeT official told GNS that Srinagar recorded rainfall of 3.1mm in the last 24 hours till 0830 hours today.
The summer capital of J-K, he said, recorded a low of 2.6°C against the previous night’s 0.3°C. It was 4.5°C above normal for this time of the year in Srinagar, he said. Kashmir is presently under the grip of the 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started on 21 December. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.5°C against minus 3.4°C on the previous night at the world-famous resort, he said. Qazigund received 4.6mm of rain in the last 24 hours while the gateway town of Kashmir recorded a low of 0.4°C, the same as witnessed on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir which had 0.4cms of fresh snowfall recorded a low of minus 0.4°C against minus 0.8°C on the previous night, he said. Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 0.2°C against minus 0.7°C on the previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of 0.8°C against 0.0°C as on the previous night, the official said. Jammu, with 4.6mm of rain, recorded a low of 11.1°C, up to eight notches from the previous night and a normal of 7.3°C for the J-K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of 1.5°C against last night’s minus 7.6°C while Kargil automatic station recorded a minimum of minus 9.8°C while Drass recorded minus 12.4°C, the official said. (GNS)
