Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Dec 1: Kashmir witnessed a brief respite from the intense cold today as overcast conditions led to a marginal rise in night temperatures, though sub-zero conditions persisted across most parts of the region.
A light spell of snowfall was witnessed at higher reaches, including the Minimarg area near Zojila Pass along the Srinagar-Leh highway. Officials said the fresh snowfall was limited to upper belts and did not disrupt traffic movement on the strategic route.
Despite the improvement, the cold wave remained firmly in place across the region. Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of -1.9°C, up from -4.4°C the previous night, though still 1.5°C below the seasonal average. The maximum temperature in the city settled at 13.1°C.
Kupwara recorded -3.2°C, Qazigund -1.0°C, Pahalgam -0.4°C, Kokernag 0.2°C and Gulmarg 0.3°C as minimum temperatures.
The Meteorological Department said places recorded night temperatures 2-4°C below normal, indicating that the cold wave is far from over. Baramulla town was the coldest place in the Valley last night with a minimum of -4.7°C.
Tourist destinations too reeled under freezing nights. Pahalgam, Gulmarg and Kokernag reported continued sub-zero and near-zero temperatures, with high humidity worsening the sensation of cold for visitors and residents.
In the Jammu division, the chill tightened its grip despite dry weather. Jammu city recorded a minimum of 9.6°C, Katra 9.4°C, Batote 4.6°C, Bhaderwah 3.7°C and Banihal 3.5°C. No rainfall was reported anywhere in the region during the past 24 hours.
According to the MeT office, no major weather disturbance is expected immediately, though higher reaches may continue to receive light snowfall in the coming days.
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