Deficit rainfall in Srinagar, disturbances from Pak generates hope

Srinagar, Feb 9 (UNI) Fresh Western Disturbances (WD) from Pakistan has generated a ray of hope to end the dry spell in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir which has recorded a deficit rainfall during the winter so far.

The Srinagar-Jammu national highway, only road linking the valley with the rest of the country was cleared for one-way traffic while the 434-km-long Srinagar-Leh highway remained closed since November last year due to heavy snowfall.

A weather office spokesman told UNI WD had finally entered Jammu and Kashmir from north Pakistan which could result in rain or snowfall during the next 24 hours.

He said the upper reaches in the Kashmir valley had snowfall while plains adjacent to hilly areas also recorded rains since this morning.

He said in the past the WD crossing over to this side from Pakistan were moving towards China and other places without touching Jammu and Kashmir. Some upper reaches were having snowfall due to these WD.

''We had only 8.1 mm rainfall in Srinagar during Janua ry against normal of 56.7 mm,'' he said.

He expressed the hope that with improvement in the weather the deficit rainfall will be covered during February and March.

A report from Uri said there was light rainfall today, resulting in drop in the temperature.

The upper reaches of Gulmarg also experienced fresh snowfall early this morning, it said adding it was also raining at few places in north Kashmir.

People in Srinagar are still facing a dry weather though the sky was cloudy today.

The minimum temperature was recorded at 5 degree, which was six degree above normal, the spokesman said adding during this time of the winter minus one degree is considered to be normal. The day temperature recorded at 1430 hours was also five degree above normal.

Reports of fresh snowfall were also received from Amarnath and its periphery. There was also light snowfall at Shehnag, Mahaguns, Pisso top and Panjtherni.

The Kashmir highway was cleared for one-way traffic, a traffic police officials said adding traffic from Jammu to Srinagar was allowed today.

The Leh highway remained closed because of heavy snowfall at Zojila pass and Gumri.

Authorities have also not been able to recover the body of a school teacher who was buried under snow avalanche in Zojila sector in November last year.

UNI