Srinagar: A cloudy day is forecast on Friday with light snowfall towards evening at few places in Kashmir Valley and Banihal to Batote in Jammu region.
From tomorrow, there is forecast for moderate to heavy snowfall for five days which is likely to hit air and road travel in the state.
“There would be generally cloudy sky today with light snow towards evening at a few places in Kashmir valley and Banihal to Batote in Jammu region,” a meteorological department official said. Last night, Srinagar recorded minus 0.7 degrees Celsius, Pahalgam minus 10.3 and Gulmarg minus 10.0 while Leh and Kargil towns recorded minus 15.6 and minus 19.2 degrees Celsius respectively, the official said.
The weatherman has already issued an advisory for “moderate to heavy snowfall” in the Valley from weekend.
“An active Western Disturbance is most likely affect the state of J&K and adjoining areas from January 19 to 25. There would be high moisture feeding from Arabian Sea over northwest India specifically over Western Himalayan Region (WHR) from January 20 to 24,” reads an advisory issued here by the meteorological department.
“Under the influence of this system, moderate to heavy snow/rain( in plains of Jammu region) is expected at widespread places of Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh region. Light snowfall would commence at a few places of Kashmir on January 19th forenoon and increase in intensity and distribution thereafter,” it says, adding, “The main activity of this system (heavy to very heavy with isolated very heavy rain/snow) is most likely during January 20 to 23 and gradual decrease thereafter.”
As per the advisory, the weather system may lead to disruption of surface and air transportation like Srinagar-Jammu highway.
“It may lead to disruption of surface and air transportation like national highway (Srinagar-Jammu) and other major roads of the state,” it says.
The advisory says that “heavy precipitation” may cause avalanches in higher reaches, landslide, water logging in low lying areas.”
“Farmers are advised to take all precautionary measures to avoid loses due to heavy snow and rain”.
The weatherman also forecast significant fall in day temperature and slight rise in night temperature during the day.
