Minimum in Srinagar dropped further to minus 5.3 degrees Celsius, a degree down compared to the previous night’s minus 4.3 degrees Celsius, a spokesman of the Meteorological department said today.
The maximum temperature recorded here yesterday was 13 degrees Celsius, seven degrees above normal. The city also witnessed unusual bright sunshine for the fourth consecutive day today owing to clear skies.
Kargil in Ladakh region was the coldest in the state with the season’s low of minus 16.4 degrees Celsius, same as the previous night.
The nearby Leh town also shivered at minus 16.2 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said, adding it experienced a slight drop in the mercury from the previous night’s low of minus 16 degrees Celsius.
There was slight relief in the night temperatures in Kokernag, Pahalgam and Gulmarg.
The famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir, the star attraction for tourists visiting the Valley during winter, recorded the minimum temperature of minus 5.
5 degrees Celsius.
The tourist resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir, which serves as the base camp for annual Amarnath yatra, recorded a low of minus 6.9 degrees Celsius against yesterday’s minus 7.3 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said.
The mercury in Kokernag settled at a low of minus 2.1 degrees Celsius against the previous night’s minus 2.4 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5 degrees Celsius, same as that of the previous night.
Kashmir is in the midst of the 40-day-long harshest phase of winter, which began on December 21 and will continue till the end of this month.
Known as Chilai-Kalan in local parlance, the chances of frequent snowfall are high. The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai-Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold).
The Meteorological Department has predicted dry weather to continue with occasional bouts of rainfall in the upper reaches during this month.
PTI