Flights Are Delayed at Srinagar Airport Due to Heavy Snowfall and Rain

Continuous snowfall caused low visibility, delaying all flights at the Srinagar Airport. Snow and rain fell in J&K, disrupting transportation services.

Written by: Arjita Gupta

Edited by: Krutarth Ghosalkar

Last Updated: January 30, 2023

Overcast conditions lead to constant rain and snowfall in several areas of Jammu and Kashmir. The weather has impacted Srinagar mostly and given the low visibility at the airport, all flights have been delayed. The visibility can risk the safety of passengers, as it is low as 200 meters. To avoid congestion and inconvenience, the airport authorities have requested people to check the flight status before going to the airport. Not just the flights, but transportation services over J&K are in ruins.

A landslide affected the Ramban district, closing down the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway because of traffic on 30 January. This resulted in hundreds of vehicles getting jammed in the main thoroughfare. Because of the flying rocks and mudslides, the 270-kilometer highway between Chanderkote and Banihal was shut. This is the only all-season route connecting the rest of India with Kashmir.

As a result of the weather, more than 300 vehicles got stuck at different intersections and highways. And personnel have been sent to these regions with equipment to clear the roadways. Due to ongoing rain and snowfall, western J&K faced new disturbances. The meteorological service on 30 January had already predicted low to moderate rain and snowfall in the plains.

An official from the MeT said that the middle and higher altitudes are at risk of moderate to heavy snowfall. The overcast weather may extend until 4 February. Whereas in the nation’s capital, New Delhi, the temperature was 6.4 degrees Celsius on 29 January. This is way below the average temperature for the season.

The IMD (India Meteorological Department) has also predicted light thunderstorms and rain through the day with 95% humidity at 8:30 AM. 17 degrees Celsius is the highest temperature expected as per the IMD. But the city will experience light rain, a cloudy sky, and some number of thundershowers in the day. The temperature fell to 6.1 degrees Celsius in Delhi on 28 January, whereas 23.8 degrees Celsius was the highest.