Widespread Snow, Rains across J&K; Rain, Shooting stones force Sgr-Jmu NH Closure
The plains of Jammu and Kashmir were lashed by widespread rains while fresh snowfall was reported from the upper reaches of Kashmir including ski-resort of Gulmarg and Sonamarg on Thursday.
The Meteorological Department (MeT) predicted more precipitation on Friday even as the Disaster Management Authority issued an avalanche warning in 12 districts for the next 24 hours.
The snowfall in the higher reaches started late Wednesday night while rains poured since Thursday morning.
The snowfall and rains continued for the entire day intermittently throughout J&K.
“There was widespread light to moderate snowfall and rain in J&K with heavy snowfall over the higher reaches today,” the MeT officials said. “Cloudy weather with light rain and snow at scattered places of J&K is expected on Saturday.”
They said that thereafter mainly dry weather was expected for a week.
The MeT has also urged the people living in avalanche-prone areas to stay alert and away from the vulnerable areas.
“People should travel only after confirming the road status from the concerned Traffic Police, especially in the higher reaches and Srinagar-Jammu highway,” the MeT officials said.
They said that a Western Disturbance was now seen as a cyclonic circulation in middle tropospheric levels over Iran and its neighbourhood while jet stream winds prevail over the Indian region.
“Under their collective influence, light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread rainfall or snowfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning is taking place over J&K and Ladakh,”
The highest snowfall of over 12 inches has been recorded at ski-resort of Gulmarg and Sadhna Top while Kargil witnessed over five inches of snowfall.
Some upper reaches of Bandipora including Razdan Top also received yet another spell of fresh moderate snowfall.
Mountainous passes of Pir Panjal Range in south Kashmir also experienced fresh snowfall.
The MeT officials said Srinagar recorded a low of 0.8 degrees Celsius on Thursday against minus 0.1 degree Celsius the previous night and 1.2 degrees Celsius above normal.
They said Qazigund recorded a low of minus 0.8 degrees Celsius against minus 1.8 degrees Celsius the previous night and 0.7 degrees Celsius above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
The MeT officials said that Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 2.4 degrees Celsius against minus 7.6 degrees Celsius the previous night and 3.8 degrees Celsius above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
They said Kokernag recorded a low of minus 0.6 degrees Celsius against minus 0.1 degree Celsius the previous night and 1.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
The MeT officials said that the Gulmarg ski-resort in Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 4.2 degrees Celsius against minus 6.5 degrees Celsius the previous night and 2.5 degrees Celsius above normal.
They said that the mercury in Kupwara town settled at 2.3 degrees Celsius against minus 1.9 degrees Celsius the previous night and 4.3 degrees Celsius above normal.
The MeT officials said Jammu recorded a low of 9.9 degrees Celsius against 8.3 degrees Celsius the previous night and 0.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
They said Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 10 degrees Celsius and Kargil minus 15 degrees Celsius.
Avalanche Warning
The Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management Authority Thursday issued an avalanche warning in 12 districts for upcoming 24 hours.
The DMA issued a ‘medium level’ warning above 2000 to 2500 metres over Anantnag, Bandipora, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Kulgam, Doda, Kishtwar, and Poonch districts.
The authority also expressed apprehension of ‘low level’ avalanche occurrence above 2000 to 2500 metres over Reasi, Rajouri, and Ramban districts.
People living in these areas have been advised to take precautions and avoid venturing in the avalanche prone areas.
Light rains that lashed across Ramban district since morning caused shooting stones at Panthyal, forcing the authorities to stop both sides of vehicular traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in the evening on Thursday.
Official sources said that the shooting stones occurred at Panthyal between the Ramsu-Ramban sector of the highway due to which vehicular traffic was halted on the highway.
SSP Traffic National Highway, Ramban, Mohita Sharma said that following rains and shooting stones at Panthyal, both sides of vehicular traffic on the highway was stopped late in the evening.
She said that the traffic would resume after clearance.
Due to a road blockade at Panthyal, Kashmir-bound load carriers were stranded between Ramban and Panthyal.
Earlier during the day, despite light rain, the highway remained open for two-way traffic of Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and one-way traffic of Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs) for Kashmir.
Traffic officials monitoring the regulation of traffic in Ramban said despite the rain, hundreds of LMVs and HMVs crossed the Nashri-Banihal sector of the highway towards their respective destinations during the day.
Traffic authorities said that during the last 24 hours up to 5 pm on Thursday, the highway remained blocked for 3 hours and 35 minutes.
They said that the highway remained blocked for 2 hours and 32 minutes due to shooting stones at Cafeteria Morh near Ramban and for 1 hour and 3 minutes due to the closure of the Chenani-Nashri tunnel.
The traffic authorities said that the traffic movement remained slow due to the breakdown of seven HMVs between Nashri and Banihal on the highway.
Meanwhile, J&K Traffic Police Department issued a fresh advisory for Friday advising people not to travel on the highway without confirming the status of the road from Traffic Control Unit (TCU) of Srinagar, TCU Jammu, TCU Udhampur, and TCU Ramban.
They said that the MeT department had predicted heavy rain and snowfall for the next few days and that there were chances of the highway blockade.
However, subject to fair weather and road clearance, LMVs would be allowed to ply on both sides of the highway while HMVs stopped at Qazigund, Kashmir would be allowed to move towards Jammu after assessing the road and traffic situation on Friday morning.
