SRINAGAR : Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded the coldest night of the winter so far when the mercury dropped to minus 2.6 degree while people continued to freeze in Ladakh region.
There will be no immediate relief from the chill as the weather will remain dry and cold over Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours, a Met department spokesman said here this afternoon.
Due to clear sky and dry weather, the minimum temperature drops while the day temperature remained by and large normal, he said.
He said there will be no large change in the weather during the subsequent four days.
After witnessing above three degrees maximum temperature yesterday, it was a coldest night of the season for the people of Srinagar as the minimum temperature dropped further and settled at minus 2.6 degree, 1.6 degree below normal. The earlier coldest was recorded on December 4 when it was minus 2.2 degree. However, people woke up to a sunny morning but the sun was playing hide and seek.Icy cold winds continued as the day progressed.
He said the sky would be partly cloudy tomorrow and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 13 degrees and minus 2 degree respectively tomorrow in the city. The Met spokesman said at Qazigund, the gateway of valley in south Kashmir on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, some drivers could be seen defreezing diesel in their vehicle tanks which has been frozen due to minus 3.4 degree, coldest of winter. It was 2.4 degrees below normal.
Kokernag also in south Kashmir and Kupwara in north Kashmir also recorded coldest nights after the mercury dropped to minus 2.4 degree and minus 4.1 degree respectively. Interestingly, the world famous ski resort of Gulmarg, where the sky was cloudy, the minimum temperature was minus 2.6 degree, about two notches above normal. The slopes still awaits first major snowfall though there was light to moderate snowfall on upper heights.
There was almost no change in the weather conditions at Pahalgam, base camp of annual Amarnath pilgrimage. The minimum temperature was minus 4.4 degree, slightly below normal. People in Leh and Kargil in Ladakh region continued to shiver after the night temperature dropped further. At Leh, the minimum temperature was minus 12.4 degree against yesterdays minus 11.9 degree and Kargil minus 10.2 degree against minus 9.2 degree. Water bodies remained frozen due to severe cold.
(AGENCIES)
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