Mercury rises in Delhi; Snowfall in Himachal, Kashmir

Fresh snowfall and rain occurred in hilly areas, including Kashmir where a fresh avalanche warning was issued today, leading to drop in day temperatures while the mercury rose in Delhi and its neighbouring states.
It was a warm day in the national capital with the maximum temperature rising to 27.2 degrees Celsius, five notches above the season's average.
The minimum temperature was recorded at 13.2 degrees Celsius, four notches above normal, said a MeT department official.
Foggy conditions prevailed in morning hours, leading to cancellation of 46 trains, and delaying 12 Delhi-bound services. However, flight operations were reported normal at Delhi airport.

The humidity in air oscillated between 98 and 57 per cent.
In Jammu and Kashmir, fresh avalanche warning was issued for four districts of Kashmir division, including Ladakh, as more snow and rain are forecast in these areas.

A 15-year-old student was killed and two of his class mates were injured in an avalanche in Macchil sector of north Kashmir's Kupwara district.
"People are advised not to venture in steep avalanche prone slopes during next 24 hours from January 30 to January 31," said Divisional Commissioner (Kashmir) Asghar Samoon.
People are also advised to keep cleaning the snow from roof top of their houses to avoid any casualty due to roof collapse.

Higher hills of Himachal Pradesh also experienced fresh snowfall while mid and lower hills were lashed by rains hailstorm.
Shimla and its surrounding areas were lashed by severe hailstorm last night whileKalpa and Keylong in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts received 12 cmof fresh snow.
Rohtang, Kunzam and Saach passes inSirmaur and Kangra districts had also another spell of heavy snowfall.
In Rajasthan, Mount Abu recorded a minimum temperature
of 4 degrees Celsius, while mercury dipped by 3 degrees to 5.4 degrees Celsius in Sriganganagar and Jaipur registered 10 degrees Celsius.
Sikar recorded a temperature of 6 degrees Celsius followed by 8.2 degrees in Churu and Alwar, and 8.5 degrees in Chhittorgarh, Dabok, Phalodi and Bhilwara, respectively.

A 40-year-old man died and seven people were injured in Baran district of Rajasthan after six vehicles collided due to fog and poor visibility on national highway 27.
Persistent fog also affected train movement in the northern region of the state. Departure of six trains in north-western region was changed whereas 11 were delayed.
The cold wave sweeping the hills and valley of Himachal Pradesh further intensified as high-altitude tribal areas had another spell of mild snowfall andsky remained heavily overcast in mid and lower hills, depriving people of sunshine evenas dry weather conditions prevailed at most places.
Keylongand Kalpa in tribal Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts recorded a low ofminus 5.1 and minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, followed by Manali (1.8), Solan (3.8), Bhuntar (4.8), Sundernagar (5.0), Palampur (5.5), Una (6.0), Nahan (7.8), Shimla (6.5) and Dharamsala (8.2).

"Medium danger" warning is in place for avalanche-prone slopes in Kupwara, Bandipora, Anantnag, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Budgam, Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar and Kargil districts of Jammu and Kashmir, a Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment (SASE) advisory said.
Medium danger avalanche warning for the same period has also been issued for avalanche-prone slopes in Kullu, Chamba, Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur districts of Himachal Pradesh, it added.