Flights, trains cancelled or rescheduled as dense fog engulfs Jammu

Morning flights and train services to and from Jammu were cancelled or rescheduled due to dense fog while residents in the city shivered in this winter season's lowest overnight temperature at 0.5 degree Celsius.

The residents of the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir called the prevailing bone-chilling weather here "a freak phenomenon".

"The present foggy weather conditions in Jammu are due to deep temperature inversion and presence of water droplets in the air because of local water bodies," state meteorological department director Sonam Lotus in Srinagar told IANS.

"However, there is no temperature inversion over Kashmir, and thus we have a bright sunshine in the valley these days," he added.

Lotus said the present weather conditions in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to continue till January 26.

Kargil was the coldest town in the entire Jammu and Kashmir at 16.6 degrees Celsius below the freezing point while Leh, also in the Ladakh region, recorded temperature at minus 15.8 degrees.

"The maximum temperature in Jammu is likely to remain around 15 to 16 degrees on Sunday," another meteorological official said. The maximum temperature in Srinagar is likely to hover around 12 to 13 degrees, her added.

In the valley, temperature in Srinagar was recorded at 5.5 degrees Celsius below the freezing point, in Pahalgam minus 7.1 degrees, and in Gulmarg minus 3.5 degrees on Sunday.

The weather office said the minimum temperature was 4.6 degrees in Jammu region's Katra town, 2.6 degrees in Batote, 2.7 degrees in Banihal, minus 1.1 degrees in Bhaderwah and just a fraction -- 0.1 degree -- below zero in Udhampur.