No Respite From Cold Wave Across Jammu & Kashmir

Jammu Records Coldest Day In 3 Decades; Rail, Air Traffic Disrupted
Srinagar/Jammu, Jan 7: Kashmir Valley continues to shiver with intense cold wave that is prevailing over the mountainous region for the past many days. Temperatures in most parts of the Valley continued to remain sub-zero even as the Meteorological Department predicts no respite from the cold wave conditions in coming days.

“The dry and intense cold wave conditions will continue to prevail over the valley for few more days. After January 11, we are expecting some sort of precipitation due to development of a weather system over the valley,” Director MeT, Sonam Lotus, said.
Sonam said this winter season has been somewhat flaccid due to less precipitation in the region. “Valley has recorded less rain and snowfall this winter. Last year the Valley received significant snowfall in the start of January but this year has been somewhat dry. We are expecting snowfall and rainfall in the later part of this month,” he said.
Fringes of famous Dal Lake and other water bodies of Valley today remained frozen for the sixth consecutive day.
An official at the Met department said that winter capital Srinagar recorded a minimum of minus 4.9 degrees, 3 degrees below normal and maximum of 9.3 degrees Celsius. Leh continued to remain the coldest place, recording a minimum temperature of minus 14.2 degree Celsius. Tourist destinations of Gulmarg and Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 9.8 degree and minus 8.2 degree Celsius respectively.
Coldest day in Jammu
Meanwhile it was bitterly cold on Monday in Jammu with maximum temperature breaking 31-year record as it dipped to 6.7 degrees Celsius, around 13 notches below normal.
The day began with chill and fog with minimum temperature several notches below average at 4.3 degrees Celsius. The maximum temperature was recorded 13 notches below average.
Sources in the Metrological department informed Greater Kashmir that Monday was the coldest day in Jammu in last 31 years. Jammu had recorded such cold temperature way back in 1981 followed by 7.1 degree Celsius on January 5, 2011, they said.
The MeT department said the spell of intense cold would continue for next few days as there were no chances of immediate rain.
Bone chilling cold and icy winds left Jammuites shivering and most of the people preferred to stay indoors. There was very less activity in the market places.
In view of the severe cold wave conditions, the state government yesterday ordered extension of winter vacations in the schools of “summer zone” for another one week.
Weatherman further said that the winter capital of state was Monday colder than Srinagar, where maximum temperature hovered around 9.3 deg Celsius, around 2.6 degrees Celsius more than the temperature in Jammu.
The dense fog is also affecting air and rail traffic. Officials said that almost all the trains to and from Jammu Railway Stations were running late. They included Jehlum Express, Himgiri Express, Pooja Express, Tawi Swraj Express, Sindhu Express, Malva Express, Mori Express, Gareeb Rath and Chitpur Express.
While around four flights were delayed, two of them were cancelled due to low visibility at Jammu and New Delhi airport, sources added.