Owais Gul
Srinagar, Apr 27: The back to back Western Disturbances in Jammu and Kashmir have once again resulted in the whiteout at multiple places including the famous ski-resort Gulmarg, Machil and others places while the rains continued to lash plains including Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union Territory.
The back-to-back Western Disturbances affected Jammu & Kashmir since April 25 and under its influence, the rains continue to lash Srinagar and other areas intermittently on a regular basis.
However, as the another WD affected J&K today, several areas including Zojila, Sadhna Top, Razdan Pass, Dawar Gurez, Tulail Gurez, Machil, Kangdori, main Gulmarg, Sinthan Top and Mughal Road experienced fresh snowfall, bringing down the mercury across the Valley.
The intermittent moderate rains however, lashed the plains of Kashmir including Srinagar, causing water logging at multiple places, which simultaneously leads to the sufferings of commuters and pedestrians alike.
Director Meteorological department (MeT), Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, said that the weather would remain generally cloudy with possibility of light to moderate rain, snow (light snow over higher reaches) at most places with thunder, lightning, hailstorm, gusty winds at few places with possibility of heavy rain over isolated places of Jammu & Kashmir division particularly on April 28 and 29.
He further stated that the weather is expected to remain generally cloudy on April 30 with possibility of light rain with thunder at many places.
However, he added that the weather is expected to remain dry from May 01-05.
In a detailed advisory, the MeT has advised the farmers to suspend farm operations till 30th April.
Temporary disruption of traffic over higher reaches of Zojila, Sinthan Pass, Mughal Road, Razdan pass etc is expected while water logging in low lying areas is also possible, the advisory reads, adding that there is a possibility of landslides & shooting stones and also temporary increase in water level in Jehlum & tributaries and other local streams & Nallas can also be witnessed.
With fresh snowfall and rains today, the maximum temperature has plummeted across Kashmir valley.
Compared to 23.0 degree Celsius yesterday, Srinagar has recorded a maximum temperature of 11.5 degree Celsius today, an official in the Meteorological department said, adding that Qazigund also recorded a maximum temperature of 17.6 degree Celsius compared to yesterday’s 23.6 degree Celsius.
In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 13.6 degree Celsius compared to 20.7 degree Celsius yesterday while 10.1 degree Celsius was recorded in Kupwara compared to yesterday’s 21.0 degree Celsius.