Srinagar, Jan 7: Amid ‘heavy-very heavy’ snow forecast, the weather office here has issued orange colour weather warning for today and Saturday which stipulates need to be prepared and keeping vigil against severe weather. Authorities set up emergency helplines in different districts after the MeT forecast heavy to very heavy rain and snow during the next 48 hours.
“IMD issues ORANGE Colour weather for J-K for 7th and 8th January,” an official of the MeT department said in a statement here.
Currently, he said, it was snowing in Gulmarg and Pahalgam besides upper reaches and raining lightly at most places of plains of J&K with thunderstorm in Katra and some other places of Jammu region. “Expect gradual increase in rain/snow intensity as the day progresses with main intensity of heavy to very heavy rain/snow during 7 January (night) and 8th,” he said, adding, “there will be gradual improvement from 9 January morning onwards in J-K.”
A medium level avalanche danger warning has been issued by the disaster management authority advising people living in avalanche prone areas not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Jammu, with 4.6mm of rain, recorded a low of 11.1°C, up eight notches from the previous night and normal of 7.3°C for the J-K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of 1.5°C against last night’s minus 7.6°C while Kargil automatic station recorded a minimum of minus 9.8°C while Drass recorded minus 12.4°C, the official said. (CNS)
