Srinagar: Kashmir is expecting to be draped with snow on New Year as weather department predicted moderate snow in plains as well as hilly areas.
Director Metrological Department Sonum Lotus told Kashmir Reader that clouds will begin to gather in the sky from Tuesday evening. This, he said, will result in light to moderate snowfall in hilly as well as plain areas from January 1 to January 3. From January 3 mid-day, he said, there will be no snowfall until January 5.
“But from January 6 to January 7, there will again be a snowfall. The prediction is for Jammu region as well. People who intend to travel on these dates on Jammu-Srinagar highway should be first confirm about weather,” he added.
Lotus said that mercury will continue to stay below sub-zero till December 31.
He said that there are chances in improvement of night temperatures in the first week of January.
“Nights will be warmer than days,” the weatherman added.
In Srinagar and elsewhere, mercury continues to dip further resulting in freezing of Dal Lake and water supply lines.
The summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir recorded coldest night with temperature dipping to a minus 6.5 degree Celsius.
In the last week, there has been no let up in cold prompting people to stay indoors. This has also increased rush of patients suffering from chest ailments to hospitals.
The doctors association last week issued an advisory asking elderly people to stay indoors as chances of cardiac arrests increase considerably due to freezing cold. Besides, they also advised people not to use unvented gas heaters after death of a couple in Srinagar outskirts.
A MeT official said that Pahalgam recorded the coldest night temperature at minus at 10.2 degree Celsius followed by Qazigund at minus 9.3 degree Celsius, Gulmarg at minus 7.8 degree Celsius, Kokernag at minus 7.3 degree Celsius, and Srinagar at minus 6.5 degree Celsius.
Traffic Police department, meanwhile, said that one-way traffic from Jammu will proceed towards Srinagar on the Srinagar-Jammu highway today.
Meanwhile, Chief Engineer Projects Organisation, J&K, said that the Mughal Road will remain closed for vehicular traffic from December 30 between Chandimarh to Heerpora.
“The road has been closed for the safety of the commuters as the road surface has turned slippery due to sharp drop in temperatures and frost conditions,” he said.

Reader correspondent