Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 20: Srinagar witnessed coldest night of the season with temperatures plummeting to minus 5.5 degree Celsius and Weatherman has forecast dry and cold weather for next 48 hours.
A day ahead of the 40-day Chillai Kalan, the coldest part of the winter, that begins tomorrow, Srinagar today witnessed its coldest night at minus 5.5, which is 4 degree below normal for this part of the season.
The minimum temperature was minus 6.2 degree Celsius in Pahalgam and minus 3.0 degree Celsius in Gulmarg.
Qazigund in South Kashmir recorded minus 4.4 degree Celsius, Kupwara in North Kashmir record minus 4.8 degree Celsius and Kokernag in South Kashmir recorded minus 3.4 degree Celsius.
Leh was the coldest place in the State with temperatures recording at minus 14 degree Celsius.
In Jammu region, Jammu city was at 5.6 degree Celsius in the night while Katra was at 9.6. Batote recorded 5.4, Banihal 0.7 and Bhaderwah 0.7 as the night’s minimum temperature.
Srinagar recorded maximum day temperature of 9.9 degree Celsius while normal day temperature for this time of the year is 9 degree Celsius. Qazigund recorded 11.2 degree Celsius, Pahalgam 10.7 degree Celsius, Kupwara 11.9 degree Celsius, Kokernag 10.8 degree Celsius, Gulmarg 6.6 degree Celsius and Leh 8.8 degree Celsius.
Jammu recorded a maximum of 23.4 degree Celsius, Katra 21.7 degree Celsius, Banihal 18 degree Celsius, Batote 17 degree Celsius and Bhaderwah 16.3 degree Celsius.
A Meteorological Department official said that weather is likely to remain dry with clear night sky during the next 24 hours indicating a further drop in the night temperatures across the State.
As the night temperatures continue to be below minus 4 degree Celsius for last few nights, parts of Dal lake and other water bodies have frozen.
The taps and water pipes also froze at several places leading to the water shortage in certain areas in the morning.
Frosty mornings and slippery roads cause problems to pedestrians and motorists in Srinagar city.
Due to cold weather conditions people are mostly staying indoors to save themselves from cold wave. The power generation has gone down leading to power crisis in Kashmir.
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