Weatherman predicts another snowfall from Jan 4
Srinagar: Following further dip in the minimum temperature, the weatherman here has predicted moderate snowfall across Kashmir and heavy snowfall in higher reaches of Jammu from Monday, stating that the night temperature will rise in J&K and Ladakh in coming days.
Director, Meteorological department (MeT), Sonum Lotus said that there is possibility of moderate snowfall across Kashmir in between January 04-05.
He added that the higher reaches especially in Pir Panchal and Chenab would experience heavy snowfall during the period, adding that in Jammu, the wet spell would begin from January 03 and would persist till January 05.
Lotus further said that present foggy mornings will also come to an end from tomorrow morning in Jammu region. He also appealed people not to venture out in hilly areas during the period to avoid any untoward incident.
Besides, Lotus said that the Srinagar-Jammu highway may also be closed after fresh snowfall, adding that those scheduled to travel to and from Srinagar should confirm the situation of the road before travelling.
Deputy Director MeT, Mukhtar Ahmad, when contacted informed that after fresh prediction, the weather would remain cloudy on January 06 also. Ahmad said that after January 05, there is no forecast of major snowfall in J&K and Ladakh till January 10.
Meanwhile, MeT spokesman informed Pahalgam was the coldest place in Kashmir where the mercury settled at minus 8.4 degree Celsius in the intervening night of Friday-Saturday.
He said that recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.9 degree Celsius. Gulmarg, a world famous ski-resort recorded 7.5 degree Celsius.
Pertinently, Kashmir is under tight grip of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period. The Chillai-Kalan commenced on December 21 and will end on January 31.
Meanwhile, parts of North India on Saturday witnessed light rain and snowfall as a cold wave continued to sweep the region, with Keylong in Himachal Pradesh shivering at minus 7.3 degrees Celsius.
Parts of the national capital received light rain on Saturday morning even as the minimum temperature rose to 7 degrees Celsius due to cloud cover over the city, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The air quality index (AQI) of Delhi at 441 existed in ‘severe’ category for the second day in a row. The monitoring stations in many parts of the city including ITO, Mandir Marg, Sirifort, RK Puram and Punjabi Bagh showed the AQI to be in ‘severe’ category.
“Moderate” fog lowered visibility to 201 metres at Safdarjung.
A Met official said 1.2 mm rain was recorded at Safdarjung and Lodhi Road after 8.30 am. The maximum temperature was recorded at 19.2 degrees Celsius, he said.
“As per our forecast, the impact of a western disturbance has begun over northwest India, including Delhi. Palam has reported 0.4 mm rainfall. Ridge, Ayanagar and Lodi Road recorded traces of rainfall,” the IMD said.
The minimum temperature in Delhi is likely to rise to 9 degrees Celsius in the next two to three days under the influence of the western disturbance, it predicted.
The Meteorological Department issued a yellow weather warning for heavy snowfall in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday.
The Shimla MeT Centre forecast rainfall in plains and low hills, and rain and snowfall in mid and high hills of the state from January 3 to 5 and on January 8.
It issued a ‘yellow’ weather warning of heavy snowfall in mid and high hills on January 5 and thunderstorm and lightning in plains and low hills from January 3 to 5.
The MeT Centre issues colour-coded warnings to alert the public ahead of severe or hazardous weather which has the potential to cause “damage, widespread disruption and/or danger to life”. Yellow is the least dangerous among the weather warnings.
Meanwhile, light snowfall was witnessed at higher reaches in some places, including Kaza and Dhoondhi, and light rain in some other parts, including Shimla and Dalhousie, Shimla MeT Centre Director Manmohan Singh said.
The maximum temperature dropped by 6 to 7 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours. The highest temperature in the state was recorded in Nahan at 15.5 degrees Celsius, he added.
Lahaul and Spiti’s administrative centre Keylong continued to be the coldest place in the state at minus 7.3 degrees Celsius, Singh said.
Kalpa in Kinnaur district recorded a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius, he added.
The minimum temperature in Manali, Kufri and Dalhousie was recorded at 1.4, 2.6 and 4.1 degrees Celsius respectively.
Shimla registered a low of 5.1 degrees Celsius, Singh added.
Cold wave conditions prevailed at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh. Very dense fog occurred at isolated places over western UP and shallow to moderate fog occurred at isolated places over the eastern part of the state.
The weather remained dry over the state, the MeT Department said.
Bareilly was the coldest place in the state with a minimum temperature of 3.7 degrees Celsius.
State capital Lucknow recorded a minimum temperature of 6.8 degrees Celsius, while Allahabad recorded a low of 9 degrees Celsius.
Sultanpur recorded a low of 5.2 degrees Celsius, Banda 5 degrees Celsius, Barabanki 4 degrees Celsius and Muzaffarnagar 3.8 degrees Celsius.
Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning is very likely to occur at isolated places over the eastern part of the state on Sunday, the weather department said.
Shallow to moderate fog is very likely to occur in the morning at isolated places on Monday and Tuesday, it said.
The ongoing cold weather conditions continued to sweep Punjab and Haryana, with Hisar in Haryana recording a low of 2 degrees Celsius.
Many parts of both the states also witnessed overnight rains.
The areas that witnessed rainfall included Chandigarh (0.6 mm), Ambala (2 mm), Karnal (2.8 mm), Sirsa (0.6 mm), Ludhiana (0.4 mm), Patiala (2.2 mm) and Halwara (5 mm).
Hisar’s low of 2 degrees Celsius was five notches below normal, an India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said here.
Ambala, Karnal and Narnaul recorded their respective minimum temperatures at 5.7, 5.8 and 8 degrees Celsius respectively, while the minimum temperatures of Rohtak, Bhiwani and Sirsa were 7.8, 4.7 and 7.7 degrees Celsius respectively.
In Punjab, Amritsar experienced cold weather conditions at 2.6 degrees Celsius, a notch below normal, while Ludhiana and Patiala recorded their respective lows at 3.9 and 6.4 degrees Celsius.
Pathankot, Adampur, Halwara, Bathinda, Faridkot and Gurdaspur recorded their respective lows at 3.7, 6.4, 6.1, 4.2, 5.2 and 3 degrees Celsius.
Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, recorded a minimum temperature of 6.1 degrees Celsius, a notch above normal. (with inputs from PTI, KNO)
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