Jammu records season’s lowest temp
*Fog hits 7 flights at Jammu Airport
Gopal Sharma/Fayaz Bukhari
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jan 10: Temperatures at several places in Jammu and Kashmir today dipped further with South Kashmir’s Shopian being the coldest place in the region having a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, leading to freezing of water bodies, while Jammu recorded season’s lowest night temperature so far.
The bone-chilling cold wave conditions led to the freezing of the parts of several water bodies, including the interiors and fringes of Dal lake in Kashmir. The water taps and pipes in several areas had also frozen in the morning.
Shopian town in South Kashmir was the coldest across the Valley, as the mercury settled at minus 8.2 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam tourist resort registered a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.
According to Chatha observatory of SKUAST-J, the winter capital (Jammu) recorded season’s lowest night temperature of 2.0 degrees Celsius, which was 5 degrees below normal. More than three degrees fall in the night temperature has been witnessed in Jammu during past 24 hours.
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As per MeT Department, Samba recorded a night temperature of -1.6 deg C which was equivalent to Rajouri’s night temperature of -1.6 deg C and lower than Batote and Banihal today. It was the lowest temperature recorded in this border (Samba) town after many years.
Udhampur recorded a minimum temperature of 0.2 deg C against yesterday’s -1.0 deg C and maximum 19.4 deg today; Kishtwar town a night temperature of 1.1 deg C, Reasi 2.0 deg C and Kathua registered a minimum temperature of 3.2 deg C on Saturday.
Bhaderwah tourist spot of Jammu region, recorded a night temperature of -2.8 deg C, Katra Mata Vaishnodevi a minimum temperature of 5.2 deg C, Banihal town -0.4 deg while Batote had a minimum temperature of 1.3 deg C.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius last night, up from the previous night’s minus 6.0 degrees Celsius, which was the coldest in the city so far this season. The minimum temperature in the city was 3.8 degrees below the seasonal average.
The night temperature in the popular ski resort of Gulmarg settled at a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night’s minus 7.2 degrees Celsius.
The tourist resort of Sonamarg in Ganderbal district recorded a minimum temperature of 6.3 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund registered a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, the season’s coldest. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara minus 6.1 degrees Celsius.
However, the day temperatures across the region stayed several notches as it was a sunny day in Kashmir.
Srinagar recorded a maximum of 10.9 degree Celsius, Qazigund 12.1 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 8.0 degree Celsius, Kupwara 11.2 degree Celsius, Kokernag of 10.0 degree Celsius and Gulmarg 44.7 degree Celsius. It was 4.3 degree Celsius, 5.9 degree Celsius, 3.3 degree Celsius, 4.2 degree Celsius, 5.0 degree Celsius and 4.0 degree Celsius above normal, respectively, for these places.
Kashmir is currently in the midst of ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, 40 days of extreme cold, during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest.
‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30.
The plains of the Valley have not received snowfall so far this season. The India Meteorological Department has said the weather is likely to remain dry but cloudy till January 21.
Meanwhile, seven flights were affected at Jammu Airport due to fog and poor visibility on Saturday. An official of AAI at Jammu Airport said that total 30 flights operated from Jammu Airport on Saturday.
He said due to poor visibility and fog in the region, seven flights including six Indigo and one Air India, were delayed today. After the weather improved all other flights operated normally. The time of some of the flights was rescheduled, he added.
Due to fog, several trains are also arriving late at Jammu Station. Swaraj Express was late by about two hours today. Similarly, several other trains including Vande Bharat, Uttar Sampark Kranti, Jhelum, Pooja, Hemkund also arrived late from their scheduled time, an official spokesman said.
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