Date:03/12/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/12/03/stories/2006120312920100.htm

Front Page

Snow in Kashmir but winter not quite here yet

Staff Reporter

WINTER IS HERE: The scene in Gulmarg after snowfall on Saturday. PHOTO: PTI

NEW DELHI: People in Delhi and other parts of North India who were gearing themselves up for a freezing winter after experiencing chill weather earlier this week can now heave a sigh of relief -- at least for the next couple of days.

If the Meteorological Department's forecast is anything to go by, then the sudden increase in temperature after the Capital recorded 7.3 degrees Celsius this past Wednesday -- the coldest day of the year so far -- is here to stay for some more days as western disturbances are approaching Jammu and Kashmir and its neighbourhood.

"The Capital will remain a little warm for some days as the minimum temperature tends to go up and remain stable for some time as the western disturbances emanating from the Mediterranean Sea approach Jammu and Kashmir," a Meteorological Department official here said on Saturday.

"The disturbances will reach there within the next two days and stay in the region up to December 6. Till then the Capital's minimum temperature will remain high," he added.

The weatherman attributed the dip in temperature earlier this week to the absence of western disturbances and has forecast that the temperature will fall again once they cross Jammu and Kashmir to move towards the northeast region of the country.

Meanwhile, it promises to be a slightly warm weekend for Delhiites with the minimum temperature on Sunday likely to go up to 13 degrees Celsius from Saturday's 10.9 degrees Celsius.

"The fluctuation in the temperature during the winter season is a regular phenomenon," explained the weatherman.

"The weather keeps changing due to western disturbances and other factors."