Kupwara, Gulmarg record lowest temperatures; Srinagar Airport undertakes winter readiness drill
Sajid Raina
Srinagar, Dec 13 :
Ahead of Chillai Kalan, the harshest 40-day period of winter in Kashmir, Meteorological Department on Saturday predicted light snowfall at isolated places in the upper reaches in the coming days.
Officials told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that weather is likely to remain generally dry, with a possibility of very light snowfall at isolated higher reaches of north and central Kashmir between December 13 and 17.
From December 18 to 19, the weather is expected to remain partly to generally cloudy.
The department said there is a possibility of light rain or snowfall at scattered places across the Valley during December 20 and 21, coinciding with the onset of Chillai Kalan, a 40-day winter period beginning December 21, when temperatures typically drop and snowfall chances increase.
The Met department also said shallow to moderate fog is likely to persist at many places in the Valley over the coming days, which may affect visibility during early morning and late evening hours.
So far, the Valley has not witnessed any major wet spell this winter. Officials said prevailing dry conditions have coincided with an increase in seasonal ailments such as cough and common cold.
Meanwhile, sub-zero temperatures were recorded across several parts of the Kashmir Valley on Saturday, while dense fog in many areas reduced visibility and disrupted early morning traffic movement.
Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 7.6 degrees Celsius, slightly below the seasonal average. Qazigund recorded 9.2 degrees Celsius and Pahalgam 9 degrees.
Kupwara recorded a maximum of 8 degrees Celsius, Kokernag 10.2 degrees, and Gulmarg 7.2 degrees.
In the Jammu region, Katra recorded a maximum temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, Jammu city 19.4 degrees, and Banihal 17.2 degrees. Batote and Bhaderwah recorded 14.9 degrees and 15.2 degrees, respectively.
In Ladakh, Leh recorded a maximum temperature of 5.4 degrees Celsius, Kargil 5.1 degrees, and Nubra Valley 4.9 degrees.
SRINAGAR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CONDUCTS WINTER PREPAREDNESS DRILL
Against the backdrop of fog and winter weather conditions, Srinagar International Airport conducted a winter preparedness dry run to assess readiness for fog, low visibility, and snowfall-related operations.
The exercise was led by the Airports Authority of India in coordination with airline airport managers, Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), ground handling agencies, the medical inspection unit, and other stakeholders.
Officials said the dry run focused on operational preparedness, inter-agency coordination, and passenger handling during adverse weather conditions that frequently disrupt flight operations in the Valley during winter.
Terminal facilities were inspected to assess passenger comfort during cold weather. Authorities reviewed heating systems, lighting, waiting areas, lounges, drinking water points, washrooms, seating arrangements, and laptop charging stations.
Manpower deployment and cleaning arrangements were also reviewed to manage winter traffic.
Standard operating procedures related to fog and low visibility were examined. Coordination between air traffic control, airlines, apron control, and terminal operations was tested during the exercise.
Passenger facilitation during flight delays, diversions, and cancellations formed part of the review.
Security arrangements were also assessed. CISF reviewed crowd management plans in case of congestion caused by weather-related disruptions. Emergency response systems, surveillance infrastructure, access routes, and access control points were checked.
Airside and landside coordination was reviewed to ensure continuity of operations during snowfall and fog.
Authorities assessed the availability of equipment and trained personnel for winter operations— (KNO)