Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 28 : Severe cold conditions continued in Kashmir as mercury plummeted to season’s coldest in Pahalgam while Srinagar recorded second lowest temperature this winter at a low of minus 5.6°C. The weatherman has forecast light snowfall for the hills of Kashmir tomorrow.
A Meteorological Department official said that Srinagar recorded a drop by 0.8°C than the last night’s temperature of minus 4.8°C. The temperature was 3.5°C below normal for the city.
Srinagar has so far seen the coldest temperature this season on December 25 when mercury plummeted to minus 5.8°C and today’s temperature was second lowest this winter.
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Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 7.4°C against minus 6.7°C on the previous night. While the minimum temperature was below normal by 2.2°C , it was the lowest recorded so far this season in the tourist resort.
Qazigund recorded a low of minus 5.0°C against minus 3.6°C on the previous night. The temperature was 2.7°C below normal for the town.
Kokernag recorded a low of minus 3.4°C against minus 2.9°C on the previous night. It was 0.7°C below normal for the place.
Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 6.0°C against minus 5.9°C on the previous night. It was 0.2°C above normal for the skiing resort.
In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 5.5°C against minus 4.8°C on the previous night in the north Kashmir area. The official said while the low temperature was 3.0°C below normal, it equaled the coldest night recorded in the town on December 25.
Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 13.4°C and 11.8°C respectively.
Kashmir is under Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 will end on Jan 30. It is followed by a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’ that occurs between January 30 and February 19 and a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bacha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1.
“From December 29-30th, there is possibility (70% chance) of intermittent light to moderate snow at scattered places during 29 (evening)-30th,” the MeT official said.
”Although, there’s no forecast of any major snowfall but even light snowfall and below freezing temperature may lead to temporary disruption of surface transportation on Sonamarg-Zojila, Sinthan Top, Gurez- Bandipora etc. on December 30th,” he added.
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