SRINAGAR: Leh and Kargil in Ladakh region froze at minus 12 degree Celsius minimum temperature while chill has tightened its grip in the Kashmir valley, where the night temperature will witness further drop during the next 24 hours.
Students appearing in examinations, including 11th class, had to face chilly conditions in examination halls because of no heating arrangements.
The world famous ski resort of Gulmarg remained coldest in the Valley at minus 10 degree minimum temperature.
A Met department spokesman today said weather will remain dry in Jammu and Kashmir during the next 24 hours.
However, during the subsequent two days there is possibility of isolated rain in the Kashmir valley, he predicted.
All water bodies, including rivers, stream and nallahs, remained frozen as the minimum temperature witnessed further drop in the Ladakh region, where Leh was coldest at minus 12.2 degree, coldest of the season so far. Earlier coldest was minus 12.1 degree recorded yesterday, when the maximum temperature was also just 2.7 degree.
Kargil, a border town on Srinagar-Leh national highway, closed for the past four days due to snowfall, recording minus 12.1 degree minimum temperature, coldest of the winter so far. However, the mercury was between minus 15 degrees to minus 22 degrees in the upper reaches, including at Line of Control (LoC), where troops remained deployed to prevent any 1999-type Kargil infiltration.
Gulmarg, 55 km from here in north Kashmir, also connected by helicopter service from Srinagar International Airport, was the coldest in the Valley though the mercury witnessed slight improvement. Against yesterday’s minus 10.6 degree minimum temperature, the coldest of the winter so far, it was minus 10.2 degree despite fresh light snowfall.
The famed health resort of Pahalgam in south Kashmir recorded minus 4.1 degrees, more than a notch below normal following fresh snowfall recently. The coldest so far was minus 6.5 degree recorded on December 12.
People woke up to a cloudy and chilly morning though the minimum temperature was above normal in the summer capital of Srinagar. Against yesterday’s minus 0.8 degree, the minimum temperature was 2 degree, three notches above normal.
However, day chill continued because of icy cold winds and cloudy weather in the city, where students alleged that there was no heating arrangements in examinations centres.
The sky would be mainly clear and the maximum and minimum temperatures would be around 13 degree and minus 3 degree respectively during the next 24 hours in the city.
There was, however, no change in the minimum temperature at Qazigund while it was up by about two notches at Kupwara. (AGENCIES)
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