Srinagar: Amid cloud cover, the minimum temperature settled at the above freezing point at most places in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
A meteorological department official said that Srinagar, the summer capital of JK recorded a low of 1.7°C against last night’s 2.4°C.
Kashmir is presently under the grip of 40-day long harshest period of winter, known locally as ‘Chillai Kalan, which started from December 21.
The mercury settled at minus 6.5°C against minus 5.1°C on the previous night at the world-famous resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said. It was minus 0.7°C below normal for the famous resort which recorded 3.3cms of fresh snowfall.
Qazigund, the gateway town of Kashmir, had a low of 2.2°C against 1.2°C on the previous night, he said.
Pahalgam, the famous resort in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 5.1°C against minus 1.3°C on the previous night and had a snowfall of 0.4 cm.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a low of 1.0°C against 1.2°C on the previous night, the official said.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a minimum of minus 0.8°C against 2.2°C on the previous night, the official said.
Jammu, the J&K’s winter capital, saw a low of 7.6°C which is minus 0.6°C below normal for the place during this time of the year, he said.
Ladakh’s Leh had a low of minus 10.2°C against last night’s 0.5°C while Kargil recorded a minimum of minus 6.4°C. Drass in Kargil, the second coldest place in the world after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 13.4°C, the official said.
“Another snow spell is likely during 26 to 28th December. Due to this, light snowfall in plains of Kashmir, moderate snowfall over higher reaches of JK, Zojila-Minamarg axis, and light snowfall at scattered places of Ladakh, especially Kargil-Zanskar area and light rain is likely at scattered places of JMU region during the above period, especially on 27th,” he said.
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