Srinagar, Aug 29: Kashmir has been experiencing moderate to heavy rains in the plains and light snowfall in higher reaches for the third consecutive day on Thursday. The me-teorological department has forecasted an improvement in weather conditions starting from Friday afternoon.
Dr. Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of MeT Srinagar, informed that the region saw persistent rains in the plains and very light snowfall in higher elevations, including Gulmarg, So-namarg, Bandipora, Kupwara, and Shopian. “The ongoing wet spell will persist, with improvement expected from Friday afternoon onward,” Dr. Ahmad said.
The higher reaches including Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Bandipora, Kupwara, and Shopian experienced very light spell of snowfall, while rains lashed plains, he said.
Dr. Mukhtar said on 30 Aug, there can be spells of rain, thundershower at scattered places in the region. “Between Aug 31–Sept 1, weather will remain generally dry with brief spells of Rain/thundershower at isolated places,” he said.
Director MeT further said from September 2nd to 3rd, weather will remain generally cloudy with possibility of spell of light to moderate thundershower showers at many places.
He said Sonarmarg recorded its first snowfall on Wednesday at trekking points Vishan-sar and Nichnai. There is a possibility of light snowfall at higher elevations till Friday morning.
In an advisory, the MeT spokesman said that there is possibility of intense showers for a brief period at few places with heavy rain at isolated places.
“There is also a forecast of flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones over few vulnerable places in the region,” it said.
The advisory reads that there will be fall in day temperature with possibility of light snowfall over isolated higher reaches during Thursday night.
Due to incessant rainfall, many parts of Srinagar city witnessed water logging. A mas-sive dip was witnessed in day and night temperatures in the valley. There was an in-crease in water level in rivers including Jhelum and other water bodies in the region.
The minimum temperature recorded on Thursday in Srinagar was 17.9 degrees Celsius, followed by Qazigund 16.0 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam 14.2 degrees Celsius, Kupwara 15.2 degrees Celsius, Kokernag 15.3 degrees Celsius, and Gulmarg 10.6 degrees Celsi-us.
Meanwhile, Srinagar received 9.7 mm of rainfall during the past 24 hours while Qazigund received 3.5 mm of rainfall, Pahalgam 16.0 mm of rainfall, Kupwara 9.0 mm of rainfall, Kokernag 2.9 mm of rainfall, Gulmarg 18.4 mm of rainfall.
Meanwhile during the past 24 hours, there was slow movement observed on Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to breakdown of several HMVs, single lane traffic at Dalwas, Mehad and between Marog & Kishtwari Pather.
On Friday, subject to fair weather and better road conditions LMVs Passenger, HMVs shall be allowed from both sides on Jammu-Srinagar highway. TCU Jammu/Srinagar shall liaise with TCU Ramban for road condition, he said.
While traffic movement shall be allowed on regulated manner on Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumri road. LMVs followed by HMVs shall be allowed from Minamarg towards Sri-nagar at 0600 hrs. to 1130 hrs.
Similarly, LMVs followed by HMVs shall be allowed from Sonamarg towards Kargil at 1330 hrs to 1900 hrs. No vehicle shall be allowed after cut off timing.
On Mughal Road, vehicular movement shall be allowed from both sides viz. from Poonch towards Shopian and vice versa. These vehicles shall be allowed from Behram-galla (Buffliaz) and Herpora (Shopian) at 0600 hrs. upto 1800 hrs. No vehicle shall be allowed after the cut of timing, the spokesman said.
