Jammu and Kashmir’s respite from the cold snap ends soon. Tuesday’s sub-zero plunge—Gulmarg at -5.5°C—ushers in forecasts of intense weather from January 22 late to 28, with spells of light to heavy rain and snowfall blanketing the region.
Overnight readings underscored the freeze: -3.4°C in Srinagar, -4.4°C Pahalgam, -5.5°C Gulmarg. Lower Jammu logged 7.4°C at Jammu-Katra, 2.5°C Batote, -1.6°C Banihal, -1.2°C Bhadarwah.
Blame two incoming Western Disturbances, extratropical powerhouses that deliver northwest India’s winter rains. They’ll snarl medium-to-high altitude travel—think grounded flights, jammed Jammu-Srinagar highway, and side roads. Landslides, debris flows, and 40-60 km/h gales add to the peril.
Weather experts advise caution: reschedule non-essential travel, shun avalanche risks in icy hills, and farmers—postpone watering, manuring, or chemical applications.
Far-reaching in impact, these disturbances sustain rabi yields across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh by providing timely precipitation. In J&K, preparation is key to weathering the onslaught without catastrophe.