Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Dec 21: The 40-day harshest period of winter in Kashmir – Chillai Kalan – marked its beginning on harsh note as minimum temperature in Srinagar dipped to minus 6.5 degree Celsius today which is six year low for the month of December.
Kashmir valley and Ladakh region have been hit by severe cold and dry weather conditions making people of these regions to shiver with Meteorological Department forecast dry and cold weather conditions to continue this week which could lead to further drop in the temperatures.
The mercury in Srinagar plunged further today to settle at minus 6.5 degree Celsius – a degree below the previous night’s minimum of minus 5.5 degree Celsius. A MeT official said this was the coldest night of the season so far in Srinagar and the mercury was at the six-year low for this month of the year.
Srinagar had recorded minus 6.6 degree Celsius on December 27, 2010. The all-time low temperature in Srinagar was minus 12.8 degree Celsius on December 13, 1934.
The cold wave resulted in freezing of some water bodies, including the fringes of the famous Dal lake here, and residential water supply pipes leading to water shortage at several places.
Leh, recorded the coldest night of the season today as the mercury settled at a low of minus 14.9 degree Celsius- down from the previous night’s minus 14 degree Celsius.
The mercury in Kargil town settled at a low of minus 11.4 degree Celsius – which is the season’s lowest so far in the town.
Qazigund was another place which experienced the coldest night of the season, settled at a low of minus 5.6 degree Celsius as compared to minus 4.4 degree Celsius of yesterday.
Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.5 degree Celsius, against minus 4.8 degree Celsius of the previous night. The town registered the season’s lowest night temperature today.
Kokernag town of South Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.8 degree Celsius which is the lowest recorded temperature of the season in the town.
Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 6.9 degree Celsius -down from minus 6.2 degree Celsius 24 hours earlier. The resort was the coldest place in the Valley.
The mercury at Gulmarg in North Kashmir settled at a low of minus 2.2 degree Celsius, compared to yesterday’s low of minus 3 degree Celsius.
In the Jammu region, Jammu city was at 5.2 degree Celsius in the night while Katra was at 10.1 degree Celsius. Batote recorded a 6.5 degree Celsius, Banihal 4.7 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 1.9 degree Celsius as the night’s minimum temperature.
Srinagar recorded maximum day temperature of 10.3 degree Celsius while normal day temperature for this time of the year is 9 degree Celsius. Qazigund recorded 11.3 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 10.2 degree Celsius, Kupwara 9.2 degree Celsius, Kokernag 10.3 degree Celsius, Gulmarg 8 degree Celsius, Leh 9. 1 degree Celsius and Kargil minus 6.2 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a maximum of 21.5 degree Celsius, Katra 24.6 degree Celsius, Banihal 21 degree Celsius, Batote 17.8 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 17 degree Celsius.
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