SRINAGAR : The minimum temperature in Kashmir dropped after an upward trend for the last two days but the mercury stayed above the freezing point in most places for the third consecutive night following rain and snowfall across the valley.
Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, recorded a low temperature of 0.5 degrees Celsius, down by over two degrees from the previous night’s low of 2.7 degrees Celsius, a MeT Department spokesperson said.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir valley in south, recorded a low of 0.4 degrees Celsius, a slight fall from 0.8 degree Celsius of the previous night, he said.
The town received 0.8 mm of rainfall during last night, he said.
The mercury in Pahalgam, which serves as a base-camp for the annual Amarnath yatra, registered a drop of around four degrees from the previous night’s low of 0.4 degrees Celsius to settle at minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, the spokesman said, adding, the resort received 0.6 mm of rainfall.
The minimum temperature in the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg slipped by about four degrees to settle at minus 7.4 degrees Celsius compared to minus 3.6 degree Celsius the previous night, he said.
The night temperature in Kupwara, in north Kashmir, settled at a low of 1.5 degrees Celsius, a slight increase from 1.2 degrees the previous night.
Kokernag, in South Kashmir, which experienced light snowfall earlier, registered a minimum of 1 degree Celsius and received 1.2 mm of rainfall during the night, the spokesman said.
Leh, in the frontier Ladakh region, recorded a minimum
temperature of minus 8.3 degrees Celsius, almost five degrees down from the previous night’s minus 3.6 degrees Celsius, he said.
Kargil, also in Ladakh region, recorded a low of minus 9.2 degrees Celsius as against minus 9 degrees Celsius the previous night, the spokesman said, adding, that the town was the coldest recorded place in the state.
Gulmarg and Pahalgam resorts experienced fresh snowfall on Tuesday while many other parts of the Valley received rains ending the prolonged dry spell.
The MeT Department has predicted light rain or snowfall today at isolated places across the state while it said the weather would remain mainly dry for a few days from tomorrow.
Kashmir Valley is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’, the 40-day harshest winter period, which began on December 21.
The chances of snowfall are maximum and most frequent during this period.
Though ‘Chillai-Kalan’ would end on January 31, the winter continues after that.
The 40 day period would be followed by a 20-day long ‘Chillai Khurd’ (small cold) and a 10-day long ‘Chillai Bachha’ (baby cold). (AGENCIES)
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