Several areas of the Valley received rains while gusty winds blew for most of the day on Sunday. As per Meteorological Department officials, parts of Budgam, Shopian and Anantnag received light to moderate rains while strong winds continued till late evening.
Deputy Director MeT, Mukhtar Ahmad, said, “An active WesternDisturbance over J&K has caused the change in weather but it will mostlyremain dry on Monday,” adding that relatively warm temperatures alsocaused the weather to change. The maximum temperature recorded in Srinagar on Sunday was 21.4 degreesCelsius, which is one of the highest of the spring season so far, MeT officialssaid.
As per MeT officials, while Qazigund received 2.10millimeters of rainfall, Kokernag received 6.2, Banihal 1.2 mm and Batote 3.2mm rain till 5.30 pm on Sunday.
Rain accompanied by thunderstorm was also reported fromvarious parts of the Valley. Ski-resort Gulmarg also received a spell ofrainfall bringing down the temperature. The rainfall and gusty winds were alsowitnessed in Poonch district, MeT officials said.
As a result of rains lashing upper reaches of the Valley,fresh landslides disrupted traffic on the 270-kilometer Srinagar-Jammu NationalHighway for several hours on Sunday.
DSP Traffic (Highway ) Ajay Anand said the the road wasclosed at 3 am on Sunday due to a landslide at Marog near Ramban and latercleared for traffic at 11 am.
“The trucks carrying essentials for the Valley werestranded for a few hours. But road was cleared and traffic allowed to movelater in the day,” Anand said.
As per a traffic advisory issued here, subject to conditionof road only heavy vehicles carrying essentials would be allowed to move on thehighway on Monday.
MeT officials said weather was expected to mainly remain dryand cloudy for next few days in Kashmir. Officials said frequent wet spells inJammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh have helped to overcome a rain deficit witnessedin both the Union Territories during February. (With MM PARVAIZ in RAMBAN)