Kashmir remained in the grip of intense cold on Tuesday as the night temperature stayed many degrees below the freezing point across the region.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 2.5°C while Pampore was the coldest place in the Valley at minus 4.2°C. It was followed by Baramulla at minus 4.3°C and Shopian at minus 5.0°C
Kupwara registered minus 3.1°C, Qazigund minus 2.4°C and Pahalgam minus 2.2°C. Kokernag settled at minus 0.6°C, while Gulmarg recorded 0.0°C.
In Budgam night temperature settled at minus 3.1°C, Pulwama minus 3.8°C, Anantnag minus 3.7°C, Ganderbal minus 1.8°C, Sonamarg minus 0.7°C and Zethan Rafiabad minus 3.5°C.
In the Jammu region, Jammu recorded a minimum temperature of 8.6°C, while Banihal slipped below freezing at minus 0.5°C. Katra recorded 8.5°C, Batote 4.8°C and Bhaderwah 0.9°C.
Severe cold conditions also prevailed in Ladakh, where Leh recorded minus 6.6°C, while Nubra Valley and Kargil registered minus 5.0°C and minus 4.8°C respectively.
The MeT official has forecast that the cold wave is expected to continue in the coming days as dry weather is likely to persist across Jammu and Kashmir.
Meanwhile, Director MeT Kashmir Mukhtar Ahmad said the overall weather pattern for early December remains largely dry.
“There is no major snowfall till December 15. Except for a few weak disturbances, we do not expect any significant snowfall activity,” he said.
Mukhtar also shared insights on the ongoing La Niña phase, which continues to influence global and regional weather patterns.
“La Niña is still in its active phase, but from January it will weaken. We expect it to go into a weaker phase as the winter progresses,” he noted.