MeT Forecasts More Rains, And Rise In Water Level In Jhelum 

Srinagar, August 1: Rains continued to lash Jammu and Kashmir, causing waterlogging in many areas, even as the weatherman on Monday forecast more spells and thundershowers in next 24 hours.

The rains also brought down minimum temperature to below normal at most places with world famous Gulmarg resort recording a low of 8.6°C against 11.0°C on previous night and it was 3.9°C ‘below’ normal for the north Kashmir place.

Reports said that spells of rain and thunderstorms caused waterlogging at several places, more so in low-lying areas of Srinagar and elsewhere. Several roads have turned into virtual pools, causing inconvenience to the commuters, reports said.

There was also a slight rise in the water level in Jhelum and it was flowing at 9.16ft (half of the flood alert mark) near Sangam at 9 a.m. today, recording an increase of nearly 3-ft from 6.25ft in the last 24 hours.

At Ram MunshiBagh here, the water level was 11.69ft at 9 a.m. compared to 10.54ft at the same time on July 31.

Regarding rainfall in the last 24 hours till 0830 a.m., a meteorological department official here said Pahalgam received 31.4mm followed by Banihal (21.9mm), Qazigund (12.8mm), Kupwara(13.4mm), Kukernag (13.0mm), Kathua (10.8mm), Srinagar(9.2mm), Gulmarg (8.8mm), Bhaderwah (7.5mm), Jammu (6.8mm), and Batote (2.2mm).

The minimum temperatures also recorded a drop at most places, and barring Katra and Bhaderwah, all observatory stations saw mercury settling below normal for the season.

Srinagar, the MeT official told , recorded a low of 17°C against 18.8°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.9°C below normal during this time of the year for the summer capital, the official said.

Qazigund recorded a low of 16.2°C against 16.7°C on the previous night. The temperature was 1.2°C below normal there, he said.

In Pahalgam, the mercury settled at 13.2°C against 14.4°C on the previous night and it was 0.4°C below normal for the south Kashmir resort.

Kokernag recorded a low of 15.2°C against 16.8°C last night and it was 1.5°C below normal for the place, he said.

Kupwara town saw a low of 15.9°C against 17.9°C on previous night and it was 1.5°C below normal for the place during this time of the season, the official told Global News Service.

Jammu recorded a low of 24.5°C, same as on the previous night. It was 0.3°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said.

Banihal recorded a low of 16.8°C, Batote 17.6°C, Katra 22.2°C and Bhadarwah 17.8°C, the official said.

“There is possibility of scattered to fairly widespread light to moderate rain/thundershower over Jammu & Kashmir Divisions in next 24 hours,” the meteorological department said, adding, “There is possibility of isolated to scattered light rain and thunder for subsequent two days.”