Fog Hits Srinagar Airport, Delays Flights

Thick fog engulfed the Srinagar airport on Saturday, disrupting flight operations and causing a delay in morning flights. This is the second consecutive day of fog affecting the airport, following a similar incident on Friday where one flight was diverted and others were delayed.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy snowfall for Jammu and Kashmir on January 4 and 5, with light to moderate rainfall expected in the adjacent plains. The peak snowfall is predicted to occur from Saturday night to Monday morning in the valley. In Himachal Pradesh, a "yellow watch" has been issued for thunderstorms, light rainfall, and squalls in several districts between January 4 and 6 due to an active western disturbance affecting the western Himalayan region.

Temperatures in Kashmir have shown a minor rise, with a low of minus 4.5 degrees Celsius recorded in Gulmarg, a key skiing destination. Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius, as per officials. Flight operations at Srinagar airport were severely affected due to the dense fog, with visibility dropping to 300 meters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to urge people to exercise caution and follow instructions from local authorities as fog conditions were also reported in Delhi and other parts of the country.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah assured the public that the government is fully prepared to handle the expected heavy snowfall in the coming days, citing earlier preparations and past experiences to mitigate the impact of the weather. The official meteorological department forecasts indicate a potentially slow resolution to the hazardous weather conditions currently affecting the region.