Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 8: Srinagar recorded coldest night of this winter after the mercury dropped to minus 6.1 degree Celsius while Gulmarg was the coldest in Kashmir valley as temperature dropped to minus 10.5 degree Celsius.
The night temperatures at majority of the places in Kashmir dipped several degrees. The minimum temperature was minus 6.1 degree Celsius in Srinagar, minus 8.1 degree Celsius in Pahalgam and minus 10.5 degree Celsius in Gulmarg.
Gulmarg was the coldest place in the Valley while Kargil town at minus 18.5 degree Celsius was the coldest in the State, followed by Leh at minus 17.3 degrees Celsius.
A Meteorological Department official said as the night sky is likely to be clear, the minimum temperatures across Jammu and Kashmir will drop further during the next 48 hours. He, however, said that a fresh Western Disturbance is likely to hit the upper reaches of Kashmir after 9th January and it may result in snowfall in the hills.
Water in Dal lake, near the banks and interiors was frozen this morning for second consecutive day today with the drop in the night temperatures. Shikarawalas were facing difficulty to row the boats in frozen parts of the lake where it was frozen.
The water taps and other water bodies including nallahs and drains were also frozen in the city. People in some areas complained of water shortage as the tapes had frozen. People were seen trying to defreeze frozen taps by burning wood.
The lake was completely frozen in 1965 when a jeep had crossed on the frozen surface from one to another end. It was again frozen in 1986 when people were playing ice hockey and cricket besides taking photograph on the frozen surface. It was also partly frozen in January 2006.
The Western Disturbance, though resulted in moderate to heavy snowfall on the upper heights during last week, had no impact in the Srinagar, where weather remained dry and chilly. However, the Sun shine led to warm afternoons.
In the meantime, a tourist vehicle was recovered by Army from Tangmarg area of Baramulla district today after the vehicle slipped due to the snow on the road.
An Army spokesman said a group of tourists while returning from Tangmarg in their private vehicle got stuck near Baba Rishi Y- junction as it slipped due to the snow on the road. “The Recovery Team of the Army quickly reached the incident site and swiftly recovered the stranded vehicle,” he said.
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