Intense cold continued in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh on Friday as Srinagar had coldest night of the season with mercury plummeting to minus 2.6°C.
A meteorological department official here told GNS that the minimum temperature in Srinagar, the summer capital of J&K, was below two degrees than the normal for this time of the year. Today’s minimum temperature surpassed that of December 1 when the mercury fell to minus 2.5°C, he said.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 2.4°C, same as recorded on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.9°C against minus 4.9°C on previous night.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 1.4°C against minus 1.5°C on previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 3.8°C against minus 2.4°C on the previous night, the official said.
Gulmarg, the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, witnessed a minimum of minus 6.0°C against minus 5.8°C on the previous night, the official said.
Ladakh’s Leh recorded a low of minus 11.0°C against last night’s minus 10.0°C while Kargil had minimum of 8.6°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.9°C, the official added.
Weatherman has forecast mainly dry till December 14. “Light to moderate snow/rain in likely at scattered places of J&K on December 15,” the official said, adding, “There is no forecast for major snowfall till 20th December in both J&K and Ladakh.” He said that there would be warmer days and colder nights in J&K and Ladakh till December 14. (GNS)