Jammu & Kashmir

Srinagar records season’s coldest night, MeT predicts ‘further fall’ in mercury in JK

A frozen waterfall in Drung area of Tangmarg in north Kashmir. [FPK File Photo/ Qayoom Khan]

Srinagar: Cold conditions intensified in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh as Srinagar had the coldest night of the season with the mercury plunging to minus 3.9°C.

The weatherman has forecast dry weather till December 23 with “further fall” in mercury in the coming days and predicted, “white Christmas” in JK and Ladakh.

A meteorological department official said that the minimum temperature in the summer capital of JK was down by last night’s minus 2.6°C and normal of minus 1.0°C for this time of the season.

Today’s temperature surpassed a minimum of minus 3.6°C, the previous lowest temperature recorded on December 11.

Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of minus 4.2°C against minus 2.6°C on the previous night, he said.

Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 6.4°C against minus 3.8°C on the previous night.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 3.9°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 3.8°C against minus 3.5°C on the previous night, the official said.

Gulmarg, the world-famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded a minimum of minus 8.6°C against minus 5.6°C on the previous night, the official said.

Jammu, the JK’s winter capital, saw a low of 6.8°C which is minus 2.4°C below normal, he said.

Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 11.6°C against last night’s minus 7.6°C while Kargil recorded a minimum of minus 10.1°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 15.2°C, the official said.

“Currently weather is mainly clear in both JK and Ladakh. Mist is also likely to remain so till December 23,” the official said

The MeT also issued a ‘low-temperature alert’, saying “further fall in minimum temperature by 2-4 is expected in J&K and 4-6 in Ladakh region in coming days.

Regarding snowfall, he said, “As of now, we will have a white Christmas in both JK and Ladakh (chance of occurrence as of now 60%).”

In the whole JK including Srinagar, minimum temperature dropping to -5 or -6 degree Celsius in December is “normal” and is a part of winter weather, the weatherman said.

“It happens every year. There is no forecast for any severe weather in coming days.”

 

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