Only stranded vehicles to move on highway today

Srinagar: The upper reaches of Kashmir valley received substantial amount of snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains, on Monday. The meteorological department of J&K said that the weather across Jammu and Kashmir is expected to improve by Tuesday, and will remain dry up to Wednesday evening. Another wet-spell is then expected across Kashmir valley, bringing rainfall over the plains and snowfall over the higher reaches of J&K.
“There has been significant amount of rainfall over plains and snowfall over the higher reaches of J&K on Monday,” Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, Deputy Director of the Meteorological Department in J&K, told Kashmir Reader.
Weather officials said that the snowfall in the higher reaches started during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday. They said that Gulmarg received about 6 to 8 inches of fresh snowfall. Gurez and Tangmarg also received snowfall ranging between 10 inches and one foot, they said.
The plains of Kashmir valley received significant amount of rainfall with Srinagar recording about 17.5 mm till Monday evening. Qazigund recorded 16 mm, Pahalgam 7.0 mm, and Kokernag about 9.5 mm of rainfall, said weather officials.
Apart from snowfall, the officials said, Gulmarg recorded major rainfall of about 25 mm and Kupwara of 17.8 mm, till Monday evening.
The minimum temperatures recorded on Monday showed a dip across Kashmir valley compared to the previous day. Srinagar recorded a low of 5.8 degree Celsius, down from 7.0 degree Celsius on the previous night, while Qazigund recorded a low of 4.8 degree Celsius, as against 4.3 degree Celsius on the earlier night.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 1.1 degree Celsius, considerably down from 3.2 degree Celsius a night before, while the mercury in Kokernag settled at a low of 3.9 degree Celsius, as against 3.6 degree Celsius on the previous night.
Gulmarg again recorded sub-zero temperatures as the mercury settled at a low of minus 1.7 degree Celsius, down from minus 0.7 degree on the earlier night. Kupwara in north Kashmir recorded a low of 2.6 degree Celsius, down from 5.2 degree Celsius the previous night.
There will be no fresh traffic on the Srinagar to Jammu national highway on Tuesday, owing to inclement weather. The weather department has advised people to avoid journeying on the highway on Tuesday. The traffic department said that subject to fair weather and road conditions, only stranded vehicles between Udhampur and Nashree shall be allowed towards Srinagar.

Reader correspondent