2019 kick started with fresh snowfall painting Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh white. Not only this, this spell also ended prolonged dry spell over both the states.
Last moderate to heavy snowfall over Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh was during December 10-13. Since then, weather was almost dry, except some light rains. This was due to the absence of any active Western Disturbance over the region.
Last 48 hours has seen widespread light to moderate rain and snow across these neighbouring states along with some pockets of Uttarakhand. In fact, Gulmarg has received season’s first good spell of snowfall.
This led to the shutdown of arterial Srinagar-Jammu National Highway which connects the Kashmir valley with the rest of the country. Besides this, Srinagar-Leh highway, the Mughal road and many other areas were cut off from various places in both north and south Kashmir.
With this, both the maximum and minimum temperatures have dropped significantly across the states. For instance, Gulmarg recorded day maximum at 2.6°C, while the minimums dropped to freezing -8.5°C. Similarly, Keylong in Himachal Pradesh recorded maximum temperature at 1.9°C, while night was very freezing at -11°C. Have a look at some more temperatures recorded in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
According to Skymet Weather, we can some relief today as the affecting Western Disturbance is moving away eastwards. As a result, rain and snow activity would also reduce considerably on Thursday. However, after a gap of mere 24 hours, i.e. by evening of January 4, we are expecting another Western Disturbance. This system would more active than the previous one.
With this, we can expect another round of fairly widespread rain and snow with one or two heavy spells of rains over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand from January 4-6.
As per weathermen, bone chilling cold wave as well as cold day conditions would prevail over many parts of these three states state. All most all the hill stations would continue with sub-zero temperatures for at least next one week.
However, for all those travelers who have been eagerly waiting for the snowfall, now is the time to head the hill stations. But mind you that roads might be blocked but you can always opt for air travel.
Image Credit:en.wikipedia.org
Any information taken from here should be credited to skymetweather.com
