Jammu, Nov 15 (PTI) The mercury today registered a markeddip here in the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir whose wideparts were lashed by rains, ending over two months of long dryspell.
As the weathermen forecast more rain in the coming days,the traffic authorities advised commuters to avoid nighttravel on Jammu-Srinagar highway due to looming threat ofshooting stones and landslides.
"In the event of wet weather, occuring of shooting stonesor landslides on the highway are most likely," a spokesman ofthe traffic department said.
However, the highway – the only all weather road linkingKashmir with rest of the country – is open for passengertraffic from both sides despite rains, he added.
Light rains lashed Jammu and other parts of the regionlast evening, marking an end to over two months long dryspell.
Jammu city had recorded the highest 4.4 mm of rainfallduring the past 24 hours ending 8.30 am this morning, aspokesman of the MET office said.
"The highway townships of Batote and Banihal experienced3.0 mm and 1.7 mm of rains, respectively, while the Katratown, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Mata VaishnoDevi Shrine, received 2.8 mm of rainfall," he added.
Reports of rainfall were also received from otherdistricts of the region including Rajouri, Kishtwar and Dodadistricts, officials said.
People have been praying for rain as Jammu city had lastrecorded 9.2 mm of rainfall long back on September 7, the daywhen the monsoon withdrew eight days ahead of the normalschedule.
The winter capital recorded 870 mm of rainfall during themonsoon this season, which accounts for a shortfall of 410 mmagainst the average of 1280 mm for the last three decades.
Monsoon season usually begins in Jammu on the first weekof July.
The MET spokesman said the night temperature yesterdayrecorded in Jammu dropped by over two degrees to settle at11.9 degrees Celsius, while the maximum temperature recordedwas 23.6 degrees Celsius against 25.6 of the previous day.
The minimum and maximum temprature, said the spokesman,was one degree and three degrees below normal during this partof the season respectively.
The minimum temperature recorded in Banihal was 5 degreesCelsius, Batote (6.7), Katra (10.6) and Bhaderwah (7.5), hementioned.
The spokesman has predicted scattered to widespread rainsin the plains, and snowfall in the higher reaches during thenext two days. PTI TAS MGDIP.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.