The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

NATION

Read under headings Max (maximum temperature), Min (minimum temperature), R (rainfall in past 24 hours) and TR (Total rain since June 1):

Station	Max	Min	R	TR
Ahmedabad	35	19	0	4
Allahabad	31	15	0	47
Bangalore	32	19	0	0
Bhopal	32	19	0	42
Bhuj	33	20	0	0
Chennai	33	23	0	1
Dehra Dun	19	14	0	80
Gangtok	13	7	0	85
Guwahati	25	12	0	31
Hyderabad	33	21	0	0
Jaipur	28	19	0	14
Jammu	17	14	—	—
Kolkata	29	19	0	1
Kodaikanal	—	10	0	34
Lucknow	29	14	0	56
Mahabaleshwar	31	15	0	1
Mangalore	34	23	0	0
Mumbai	31	21	0	0
Nagpur	34	19	33	41
New Delhi	24	17	0	53
Patna	27	12	0	45
Pune	35	12	0	0
Raikot	35	19	0	0
Ratnagiri	30	20	0	2
Shillong	15	06	1	28
Shimla	12	4	2	60
Srinagar	6	1	14	52
Thiruchirapalli	35	24	0	1
Udaipur	32	18	0	5

Fresh snow in J&K, HP
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 17
Rainfall: Rain or snow has occurred at most places in Jammu and Kashmir and at a few places in Himachal Pradesh. Rain or thundershowers have occurred at isolated places in Punjab. Weather was mainly dry in the rest of the region. The chief amounts of precipitation in cms are: Himachal Pradesh: Bhuntar 3, Rampur Bushar 2 and Kangra 1; and Jammu and Kashmir: Banihal 8, Batote and Quazigund 5 each, Pahalgam 2 and Srinagar 1.

Snowfall report (cms): Himachal Pradesh: Dhundhi 84, Solang Nala 45, Bhang 19 and Patsio 17. Temperatures: Past 24 hours change: Minimum temperatures rose appreciably in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, rose in Punjab, east Rajasthan and Uttaranhal, and changed little elsewhere. Departures: They were largely above normal in Rajasthan, markedly above normal in Haryana and Punjab, appreciably above normal in west Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal and above normal in the rest of the region.

The lowest temperature in the plains was 12.4°C recorded at Ludhiana.

Forecast valid until the morning of February 19: Rain or snow will occur at many places in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Uttaranchal. Rain or thundershowers are likely at a few places in Haryana, Punjab and north Rajasthan and at isolated places in the rest of the region. Heavy rainfall warning: Heavy rain/snow is likely at isolated places in Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours. Isolated hailstorm is likely in Haryana, Himachal, Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Forecast for Delhi and neighbourhood valid until the morning of February 19: Mainly cloudy sky. Rain/thundershowers in some areas with possibility of hailstorm at isolated places. Minimum temperature will be around 12°C.

Farmers’ weather bulletin for Delhi forcast valid until the morning of February 19: Light to moderate rain will occur at a few places.

Outlook for the subsequent two days: No large change.

Rain, winds lash region

CHANDIGARH: Widespread rains in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal for the second day on Monday and rains in plains revived cold weather conditions, forcing people to take to woollens.

The rains have brought cheer to the farmers as these will greatly benefit rabi crops, specially wheat, various coarse grains and pulses.

Weather experts here attributed a sharp change in weather conditions to the Western disturbances over J and K and the neighbourhood coupled with a low pressure area over North-West Rajasthan and adjoining Central Pakistan. These conditions are likely to cause renewed spell of snowfall in hilly states and rains in plains of the region over the next 48 hours.

Peer Panajal range of mountains in J and K, world famous tourist and skiing resort of Gulmarg, entire route to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath from Pahalgam, besides forward areas like Dras, Kargil and hill tops in Leh (Ladakh) had received 100 cm to 20 cm fresh snowfall in the past 24 hours, ending this morning. Srinagar, the winter capital of the state reported the low of 0.8ºC and 13.8 mm of rain fall.

Barring Shimla, the capital town of HP, most of places, including of tourists interest like Kufri and Narkanda, reported 8 to 15 cm snow till this afternoon. Shimla and its adjoining areas were having rains.

Rohtang Pass, known as the gateway to Lahaul Spiti, which was already snow-bound and Dhundi reported having received 125 cm and 98 cm snowfall respectively while Patsio received 30 cm.

The entire tribal belt, comprising Lahaul Spiti and Kinnaur districts and the Pangi valley (Chamba) too reported varying degrees of snowfall. Keylong, the district headquarters of Lahaul Spiti reported 15 cm of snowfall. Manali(Kulu) Patsio and Dhauladhar ranges overlooking Kangra valley, too, reported heavy snowfall.

Gau Mukh area in Uttaranchal recorded 20cm of snow.

Chandigarh and its adjoining areas in Punjab and Haryana which were having overcast sky since yesterday too started having isolated rains by accompanied by sharp thunderstorms by this afternoon. The maximum which was hovering around 20º C by 2.30 pm on Monday suddenly dipped by six degrees following sharp rains and icy winds.

HOSHIARPUR: Hoshiarpur and its surrounding areas have been experiencing intermittent drizzling since Monday morning due to which the entire region has come under the grip of severe cold.

KUMARHATTI: High velocity winds on Monday lashed the town and its surrounding areas of Barog, Dharampur and Dagshai reviving the cold wave condition in region. There have been intermittent spells of light rain since the Sunday night. The rain is good for off-season cash crops like tomato and capsicum.

MANALI: The fresh spell of snow in the entire upper Manali region hampered the election campaign as local residents preferred to remain indoors. Heavy snowfall has been continuing in the higher reaches of the Kulu valley since Sunday morning as a result of which the upper Kulu-Manali region is in grip of severe cold wave. The ski slopes of the Solang valley also had fresh snow. The world famous heli-skiing slopes at Brighu slopes, Hamta slopes and Seri ski slopes also had heavy snow.