Kashmir valley records coldest night of season, mercury drops to minus 5.6 degrees in Gulmarg

Kashmir: The mercury plummeted across Kashmir Valley with most places including Srinagar recording this season’s coldest night on Sunday. A meteorological department official said “Srinagar recorded a low of minus 5.8°C which is 3.8°C below normal. QaziGund recorded a low of minus 5.0°C  while Pahalgam, remained the coldest in Kashmir temperature recorded a low of minus 7.0°C being below normal by 2.0°C, it was the coldest night this season in the famous tourist resort and the lowest temperature in Kashmir.

World famous ski resort Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 5.6°C while in Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 6.0°C being 3.4°C below normal, it was the coldest temperature recorded so far this winter in the north Kashmir area, he said.

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Jammu region witnessed cold conditions; Jammu recorded a low of 4.1°C on the previous night. It was 4.1°C below normal while Banihal recorded a low of minus 0.3°C  ( below normal by 1.2°C), Batote 0.6°C (2.1°C below normal), Katra 5.8°C (1.1°C below normal) and Bhadarwah minus 1.0°C (0.5°C below normal).


In Ladakh, Leh shivered at minus 14.5°C and Kargil recorded a low of and 12.4°C, while Drass remained coldest in the country temperatures settled at minus 19.2.

Kashmir is under Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21, and since the first day Kashmir went under cold wave grip everywhere in Kashmir mercury had gone below normal and everyday temperatures are recorded in minus.

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MET had predicted mostly dry weather till  Dec 26 morning. A MET official said “Mainly dry weather is expected till 26th December morning. From December 26-30th, generally cloudy  weather is expected with intermittent light snow at isolated to scattered places on higher reaches of North,  Northwestern and central Kashmir during 29 (Night) -30th,” he said, adding, “Slight improvement in minimum temperature and respite from cold and dry weather is expected from 26th to 31st December.”