Mercury witnesses dip as rain lashes Kashmir

Tribune News Service

Intermittent rain lashed the Valley today, causing the mercury to dip across the region.

The rain began last night across the Valley and continued intermittently today.

The rain also triggered landslides at Mehar in Ramban district forcing the partial closure of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway which connects the Kashmir valley with the Jammu region, Traffic Department officials said.

However, the traffic movement was later restored along the highway, the officials said, adding that nearly 2,000 vehicles crossed the Jawahar Tunnel towards the Jammu region by midday.

The downpour, caused by a western disturbance, has also made the mercury to fall several degrees turning the weather cold in the region.

The meteorological department said the minimum temperature in Srinagar city, which received 12.7 mm of rainfall during the night, was recorded at 4.7°C, while Gulmarg resort in north Kashmir registered a freezing low of - 1°C.

Kupwara town received heavy rain overnight and recorded 41.9 mm of precipitation, the department said.

The meteorological department said light to moderate rain and snow would occur at many places in the state during the next 24 hours following which there would be a considerable reduction in precipitation. The weather is likely to improve from Tuesday afternoon.