Jammu, Srinagar witness coldest night of season

Srinagar: It was the coldest night of the season so far in both the capitals cities of Jammu and Kashmir. Fringes of the Dal Lake and other water bodies as well as water supply lines at several places were frozen as a result of severe cold.

Kashmir Weather, an independent weather forecaster, said Srinagar city recorded the low of minus 6.4 degrees Celsius last night, down from minus 4.8 degree Celsius the previous night.

The night temperature in the city, which has been witnessing clear skies and some sunshine during the day, is around 5 degrees below the normal for this part of the season, he added.

The ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir recorded the low of minus 11.0 degrees Celsius last night, same as that of the previous night, he said.

Gulmarg, in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, was the coldest recorded place in the valley, he added.

The night temperature at Pahalgam resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra in south Kashmir, settled at a low of minus 8.9 degrees Celsius as against minus 7.4 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, he said.

The weather forecaster said Qazigund, the gateway town to the valley, in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 4.9 degrees Celsius, down from minus 3.3 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.

Kokernag town, also in south, recorded a low of minus 4.8 degrees Celsius, while Kupwara, in north, registered the minimum of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, the weather forecaster said.

He said Leh town, in the Ladakh Union territory, recorded a low of minus 14.9 degrees Celsius compared to the previous night’s minus 10.8 degrees.

The nearby Drass town froze at a low of minus 26.5 degrees Celsius.

Bhaderwah town was the coldest recorded place in the Jammu region with a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius, followed by Banihal in Ramban district at minus 2.6 degrees Celsius, the weather forecaster said.

He said Jammu recorded a minimum of 3.0 degrees Celsius, 5.9 notches below normal during this part of the season, against the previous night’s 5.0 degrees Celsius.

Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting Vaishno Devi Shrine in Reasi district, recorded a minimum of 3.0 degrees Celsius, he said, adding the town also recorded the coldest night of the season.

Kashmir Weather has forecast of cold wave conditions for next 2 days.

“Cold wave conditions are likely to prevail for next 2 days, even as mercury may settle 5 – 8°C below normal. A weak western disturbance is approaching Jammu and Kashmir on 20th December, some relief from severe cold conditions is expected due to cloud cover.”