- Improvement in weather from today: MeT
- No flood like situation in valley
- Sgr-Jmu NH, Mughal Road closed
- Traffic to ply from Srinagar towards Kargil today
Srinagar, Apr 19: Moderate to heavy rains lashed plains Kashmir and higher reaches received light snowfall for 2nd straight day on Friday, while the meteorological department has forecasted improvement in prevailing weather conditions from Saturday onward.
Over the past three days, continuous rainfall in Kashmir has led to flood-like situations in various parts of the valley. However due to rainfall, the water level in water bodies has increased.
Director MeT Srinagar, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told Rising Kashmir that as forecasted rains lash plains and very light snowfall was recorded in higher reaches for 2nd straight day.
Srinagar received 84 mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours while Qazigund received 50 mm of rainfall, Pahalgam 30 mm of rainfall, Jammu 8.1 mm of rainfall, Kokernag 2.9 mm of rainfall, Gulmarg 48 mm of rainfall.
Similarly moderate snowfall was reported in Peer Ki Gali 8 inches, Sinthan top 10 inches, Razdan pass 1ft, Zojila pass 6 inches, Sadhana pass 10 inches, Machil 7-8 inches.
Director MeT said that on 20th April, there will be light rain at scattered places. From 21-25th April, there will be generally dry weather with A/N thundershower activity at isolated places can’t be ruled out.
He said there is an improvement in weather expected from tonight. No more snow is expected on Saturday. South Kashmir received more rainfall as compared to Central and north Kashmir in the last 3 hours.
“The ongoing wet spell will continue and thereafter we are expecting improvement in prevailing weather conditions from Saturday afternoon onward. The higher reaches including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Bandipora, Kupwara, and Shopian experienced very light spell of snowfall, while rains continued in plains till late Friday evening, “he said.
Director MeT said that moderate intensity thundershowers are occasionally intense accompanied by thunder, gusty winds and hailstorm over Jammu, Udhampur, Reasi, Kathua and Samba districts.
The water level has increased in some nallas and river tributaries in Kashmir and it may increase if rains continue throughout the night. Tributaries in south Kashmir are filled with rainfall water, but there is no situation of floods in the valley.
The minimum temperature recorded on Friday in Srinagar was 6.8 degrees Celsius and maximum 15.7, followed by Qazigund 7.0 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 3.7 degrees Celsius, Kupwara 6.6 degrees Celsius, Kokernag 5.6 degrees Celsius, and Gulmarg -0.5 degrees Celsius,” the MeT office said.
A traffic police traffic police spokesman said that from the past 24 hours Jammu-Srinagar NHW remained blocked for 06 hrs 10 mins. Slow movement was observed on NH-44 due to breakdown of 02 HMVs, nomadic flocks, single lane traffic at Dalwas, Mehad, Panthyal, Nachlana, Shalgarhi etc. and poor surface condition of road at many places between Nashri and NAVYUG Tunnel.
“On Saturday, Jammu-Srinagar NHW (NH-44) was blocked due to mudslides at Mehad, Ramban, and shooting stones at many places, heavy rainfall on the whole NHW. People are advised to avoid journeys on NH-44 till the weather improves and the road is clear,” he said.
Similarly, after getting green signal from Road maintenance agencies) , only one way traffic for LMVs 4X4 (passenger/Load carrier) from Srinagar towards Kargil shall be allowed on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road.
“These vehicles shall be allowed from Sonamarg at 0930 hrs upto 1300 hrs. Motorists are advised to carry anti-skid chains to gain more grip on the slippery road. No vehicle shall be allowed without anti skid chain/after cut off timing,” he said.
