Srinagar, Feb 12: As rains lashed most parts of Kashmir valley on Sunday the weathermen issued a fresh warning of rains in plains and snowfall in Pir Panchal range in next 24 hours.
“We are expecting snowfall in the Valley from Sunday up to February 14. The snowfall could be heavy in the Pir Panchal mountain range. Both road and air traffic is likely to get disrupted because of the western disturbance that is active in the region at present,” Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus told Greater Kashmir.
“However the weather will likely improve on Tuesday,” he said. While the ski resort of Gulmarg witnessed overnight snowfall, Srinagar recorded 1.1 millimeter rainfall. “It dipped the average temperature by certain degrees with night temperature in summer capital recorded slightly above freezing point,” MeT officials said.
They said Pahalgam in South Kashmir, where the minimum temperature had plunged to minus 1.4 degrees Celsius, received 8.4 mm rainfall and also recorded traces of snow.
 In North Kashmir's frontier district Kupwara the mercury dropped to minus 0.3 degrees Celsius overnight, recorded 7.7 mm rainfall, they said.
 “The coldest place in the Valley, however, was Gulmarg where mercury had slipped to minus 6.5 degrees Celsius and received four inches of snow,” the official said.
 Meanwhile, Leh town in the remote Ladakh region recorded night temperature of minus 8.8 degrees Celsius, he said, adding that the adjoining Kargil town registered the low of minus 11.0 degrees Celsius.
 The minimum temperature in Kashmir Valley has increased considerably over the last two weeks providing respite to residents after more than a month of intense cold wave, when even day temperatures had remained below the freezing point.
 Meanwhile this newspaper received phone calls from passengers saying that more than hundreds of vehicles were stranded at Patnitop due to heavy snowfall at Kud and Batote area. “There was a total chaos as no traffic police cop was present on the highway,” said a passenger, who was stranded for more then 5 hours.
 Muhammad Taskeen adds from Banihal: The slippery road conditions due to the continuous rains once again affected the vehicular movement on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
 Reports reaching here revealed that traffic moved with snails pace on the highway on Sunday and heavy traffic jam was reported on Patnitop-Ramban stretch.
 More than half a dozen vehicles also collided with each other at various places on the highway due to the slipper road condition. Though around 5 persons sustained minor injuries in these mishaps, no loss of life was reported.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 13 Feb 2012 00:00:00 IST