STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Mercury dipped in most parts of Kashmir Valley while the minimum temperature rose by six degrees in Leh town in the frontier Ladakh region to settle at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius.
Kargil was the coldest place in Jammu and Kashmir though night temperature also rose there slightly to minus 12.0 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night’s minus 12.4 degrees Celsius, an official of the Meteorological Department here said.
The official said in the Valley, the minimum temperature increased in Pahalgam and Qazigund, while other places experienced a drop in the mercury. Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.1 degrees Celsius against minus 2.9 degrees Celsius the previous night, the official said.
The famous tourist resort of Pahalgam registered a low of minus 3.4 degrees Celsius, rising a notch from the previous night.
The official said that mercury in Qazigund, the gateway town to the Valley, registered a low of minus 2.2 degrees Celsius.
The minimum temperature in Gulmarg and Kokernag town in south Kashmir went down by around a degree to settle at a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius and minus 1.3 degrees Celsius respectively.
There was a slight drop in mercury in Kupwara town of north Kashmir as it registered a low of minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, the official said. The Meteorological Department has predicted mainly dry weather for most part of Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day harshest winter period ending 31st January.
It said Kashmir may witness a dry January like the last year with less chances of snowfall during the remaining days of the month. However, it has far remained largely dry except for brief spells of light snow in plains on two occasions and moderate snowfall in the higher reaches on a few occasions.