MeT predicts more rains today

As widespread rains lashed Kashmir on Thursday, Meteorological Department has predicted the present wet spell to intensify on Friday with upper reaches of the Valley expected to receive a fresh spell of snowfall.

While skies over the Valley remained overcast, it receivedlight to moderate rainfall on Thursday with summer capital Srinagar recording 2millimetre rainfall till 5:30 pm. The MeT forecast has said that Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh will continue to receive more rains for next two days whileits upper reaches could get fresh snowfall. The MeT in its advisory also saidthat there is possibility of light snowfall even in the plains of the Valley.The present wet spell is expected to continue till Saturday, MeT officials said.

   

Rainfall on Thursday is the first wet spell of the springseason after February witnessed considerably high day temperatures with maximumsettling at 19.4 degrees on February 28. There were only two or three spells ofrainfall last month, resulting in 98 per cent rain deficiency in Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh.

Intensity of rainfall on Thursday picked up in the eveningwith Qazigund receiving 5 mm rains till 5:30 pm even as it continued to raintill late night. Health-resort Pahalgam recorded 2 mm rains while Kupwara alsoreceived 2 mm rains till 5:30 pm. Among other places, Kokernag received 3.6mm,  Jammu 2 mm, Banihal 8.6 mm, Batote9.6 mm, Katra 8.6 mm rainfall.

The rainfall also brought down the temperatures  as summer capital Srinagar recorded maximumtemperature at 10.3 degrees which is several notches down from the pleasanttemperatures recorded last month.

MeT department has issued advisory for travellers andfarmers advising them of the adverse impact of the inclement weather. “Allconcerned are informed to take note of the impending weather for your safetyand conveniences as it may lead to landslides at Ramban-Banihal axis. Farmersare informed to avoid spraying of their orchards from March 4 to 7,” says theweather advisory issued by MeT department.

LANDSLIDES DISRUPT TRAFFIC ON SRINAGAR-JAMMU HIGHWAY:

Hundreds of vehicles were left stranded at Cafeteria morh inRamban on the 270 kilometre Srinagar-Jammu National Highway on Thursday due tointermittent landslides. Senior Traffic police officials told Greater Kashmirthat efforts were on to allow the stranded vehicles to move towards theirdestinations. However, a traffic advisory issued by the Traffic Policeheadquarters said no decision on whether the road is traffic worththy forFriday was taken as yet. The advisory said decision to allow traffic will bedone only after assessment of the road which will be done on Friday morning. Itsaid people are advised to undertake journey on the highway only afterconfirming status of the road from Traffic Control Units based at Jammu,Srinagar, Udhampur  andRamban.

Leh-Srinagar National Highway and Mughal Road, connectingShopian district in south Kashmir to Pir Panchal, remain closed for traffic dueto accumulation of snow, officials said.

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