Sub-zero conditions continued in Kashmir Valley and Ladakh with Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, recording a low of minus 4.5°C on Saturday.
A meteorological department official told GNS that the minimum temperature in Srinagar was down by more than a degree Celsius than previous night’s minus 3.4°C. It was minus 2.1°C below normal for this time of year in Srinagar.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21. It is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ and a 10-day-long ‘Chilla Bachha’.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 9.5°C against 10.5°C on previous night, he said. The temperature was minus 1.6°C below normal for this time of the year in the famous resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 11.4°C against minus 10.3°C last night, he said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 7.6°C against minus 7.8°C on the previous night, he said.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 7.2°C against minus 7.5°C on the previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 5.0°C against minus 1.3°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu recorded a low of 7.7°C against previous night’s 5.7°C which is 0.7°C above normal for the J&K’s winter capital during this time of the year, he said.
Banihal recorded a low of 0.8°C, Katra 5.0 °C and Bhaderwah saw a minimum of minus 2.1°C, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 16.8°C against last night’s minus 13.8°C while mercury at automatic station in Kargil settled at minus 18.6°C. Drass, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 27.6°C against last night’s minus 23.8°C, official said.
The weatherman has forecast moderate to fairly widespread rains and snowfall in Jammu and Kashmir from Sunday.
“A fresh Western Disturbance is likely to affect Jammu & Kashmir region from January 16th and another Western Disturbance from January 18 and is likely to cause light/moderate scattered to fairly widespread precipitation,” the official said. (GNS)
