Expect dry weather till Feb 14: Official

Srinagar: While predicting the possibility of light snowfall at a few higher reaches of the valley on Monday, the meteorological department (MeT) on Sunday said weather is expected to remain dry across Kashmir valley till the end of this week.
The MeT officials said that the weather was likely to remain dry across Kashmir till February 14. However, there was the possibility of light snowfall at a few higher reaches of the Valley on Monday.
“The weather is expected to remain dry across Kashmir valley for next few days, up to 14th of February. There isn’t any possibility of precipitation until that period. However, there can be light snowfall in few higher reaches of Kashmir valley today with a low intensity,” Deputy Director Meteorological Department Dr Mukhtar Ahmad told Kashmir Reader.
He said that the night temperatures are expected to remain two to three notches below the normal while days would witness significant improvement in mercury.
As per the weather officials, the minimum temperatures dipped considerably across Kashmir valley on Sunday with the mercury in Srinagar city breaking the above freezing point trend of night temperatures after three days while recording a low of minus 3.6 degree Celsius, down from 0.6 degree Celsius on the previous night. For the past three days, the city had been recording above freezing point temperatures during the night recording 0.4 degree Celsius on Thursday, 1.0 degree Celsius on Friday, and subsequently 0.6 degree Celsius on the Saturday.
While the day-temperatures have witnessed an increase over the past two days, with the maximum temperature touching 11.9 degree Celsius in Srinagar on Sunday, higher than 10.8 degree Celsius recorded on the previous day. Pertinently, on the previous day, Srinagar had recorded over 10 degree Celsius temperature after nearly 40 days with the temperatures showing an upward trend on Sunday.

The Qazigund, recorded a low of minus 6.3 degree Celsius, against minus 3.2 degree Celsius on the earlier night. The maximum temperatures, on the other hand, stood at 11 degree Celsius higher than the previous day’s 10.5 degree Celsius.

While Pahalgam remained the coldest place on Sunday, with mercury settling at a low of minus 7.5 degree Celsius, down from minus 6.3 degree Celsius on the previous night. The day-temperatures, however, increased significantly recording 9.6 degree Celsius, up from 6.2 degree Celsius on the earlier day.

Gulmarg, recorded a low of minus 6.5 degree Celsius, up from minus 10.4 degree Celsius a night before with the maximum temperatures standing lower than other places of Kashmir valley at 5.4 degree Celsius.

Kupwara in north Kashmir, was the warmest place in Kashmir valley on Sunday, as both minimum and maximum temperatures remained higher than other places of the valley. The place recorded 13.9 degree Celsius of maximum, and minus 3.7 degree Celsius of minimum temperatures. Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.4 degree Celsius with maximum temperatures standing at 9.4 degree Celsius on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the traffic on Srinagar-Jammu National highway will ply from Srinagar towards Jammu on Monday. The traffic department said that subject to fair weather and road conditions, only one way traffic shall be allowed from Srinagar towards Jammu including the local traffic plying in Ramban and Banihal.

However, they added, no vehicle shall be allowed in the opposite direction while underlining that the weight bearing capacity of installed bailey bridge is less than 40 metric tons implying that the vehicles plying shall consider this and adhere to the weight norms.

For Light Motor Vehicles(LMV’s), they said that the vehicles shall be allowed from 8 am till 12 pm from Qazigund towards Jammu. For High Motor Vehicles(HMV’s), they said that the vehicles shall be allowed from Qazigund towards Jammu after the clearance of LMV’s.

KALEEM GEELANI