The Hindu : North India shivers under cold wave

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Dec 17, 2003

National

National

North India shivers under cold wave

CHANDIGARH DEC. 16. People in and around Amritsar, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh shivered under intense cold wave conditions as icy winds from the freshly snow-clad mountains swept across the three northern state.

A pale sunshine however, brought some relief to the people during the day. The Jammu-Srinagar highway reopened this afternoon much to the relief of stranded traffic, several roads, including the Hindustan-Tibet road in Himachal Pradesh stayed blocked for the second day today.

Amritsar was the coldest place in the northern plains with the minimum temperature plummeting by 2.00 to 3.00 degress Celsius. The historic city recorded 10.8 mm rainfall till this morning. Patiala and Nangal Dam area reported 5.2 mm and 2.8 mm rainfall respectively.

Chandigarh and adjoining areas in Haryana and Punjab had recorded 13 mm rainfall while Ambala, 12.8 mm. Hisar (1.00 mm), Karnal (9.7 mm), Rohtak (2.1 mm) were among other Haryana stations reporting rains.

The National Capital Territory of Delhi received 28 mm rainfall while its Palam area 15.5 mm rainfall.

The Jawahar Tunnel, linking Jammu region with Kashmir valley through the Banihal, received fresh spells of snowfall. The Banihal top recorded 53 cm fresh snowfall in a total standing of 148 cm. Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort reported 0.5 cm fresh snowfall in a total of 50 cm standing snow. Dras had a total standing snow of 20 cm. Pahalgam and the area leading to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath, Sonmarg, Yusmarg were having renewed spells of snowfall today.

Srinagar turned cold again with the low dipping to 0.4 C, two degrees below normal following an 8.4 mm precipitation of snow and rain. Jammu recorded 19.7 mm rainfall.

As Shimla, capital town of HP turned cold with the minimum temperature dipping to 3.2 C, one degree below normal following 46.2 mm of precipitation, Bhang Manali recorded 06.00 cm snowfall and 11 mm rainfall. Dhundi, Patsio and Solang Nullah recorded 51 cm,30 cm, 55 cm snowfall respectively till this morning.

Bhuntar (29.1 mm), Dharamsala (6.6 mm), Sundernagar 4.5 mm), Nahan (8.00 mm), Pandoh ()4.00 mm), Rampur (28.2 mm), Guler (3.5 mm), Nadau(0.5 mm), Sujanpur Thira (3.00 mm), RL -1700 (.5 mm), Bathin (02.00 mm), Kalo (4.6 mm), Kahu (8.5 mm), Nagrota Surian (5.7 mm) and Ghamrur(02.00 mm) were among a score of HP stations reporting rains.

Weather bureau here said western disturbances persisting over J and K and adjoining areas were likely to cause light to moderate rains and snowfall in the hilly states and rains at it isolated places in the plains of the region.

- UNI

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National