Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 9: Cold wave tightened its grip on Kashmir with the night temperatures plummeting further and Srinagar settled at the season’s lowest at minus 6.2 degrees Celsius.
Srinagar recorded its coldest night this winter at minus 6.2 degrees Celsius down from minus 6.1 degrees Celsius recorded on the previous night. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 10.8 degrees Celsius, 4.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
This was for the third straight day that the minimum temperature has settled at minus 6.0 degrees Celsius or below in Srinagar city, where many water bodies have partially frozen due to intense cold conditions.
The fringes of the famous Dal lake were also frozen today but bright Sunshine gave some respite to the people during the day time.
The minimum temperatures stayed several degrees below the freezing point across Valley.
The night temperature in Qazigund, in South Kashmir, stayed at a low of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius, same as the previous night. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 10.4 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kokernag town saw mercury rise marginally to minus 3.4 degrees Celsius compared to yesterday’s minus 4.2 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 8.8 degrees Celsius, 4.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 5.6 degrees Celsius, almost similar to previous night’s minus 5.5 degrees Celsius. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 11.0 degrees Celsius, 4.9 degrees Celsius above normal.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.6 degrees Celsius, up three degrees from minus 10.6 degrees Celsius the previous night. The maximum day temperature settled at 3.2 degrees Celsius, 2.7 degrees Celsius above normal.
The night temperature in Pahalgam increased marginally from minus 8.1 degrees Celsius of the previous night to settle at minus 7.6 degrees Celsius last night. The maximum day temperature was recorded at 7.5 degrees Celsius, 3.6 degrees Celsius above normal.
Kargil recorded its coldest night this winter at minus 23 degrees Celsius while the maximum day temperature was recorded at minus 7 degrees Celsius.
Leh recorded its coldest night this winter at minus 17.6 degrees Celsius while the maximum day temperature was 0. 7 degree Celsius.
Kashmir is currently under the grip of Chillai-Kalan, a 40-day harshest period of winter when the chances of snowfall are most frequent and maximum and the temperature drops considerably.
It ends on January 31, but the cold wave continues even after that in the Valley.
The 40-day period is followed by a 20-day-long Chillai- Khurd (small cold) and a 10-day-long Chillai-Bachha (baby cold).
A Meteorological Department official said that weather will remain dry across the region for next few days and this will further lead to drop in the temperatures.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel