Valley gets respite from cold

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Jan 11: People in Kashmir today got some respite from the week-long intense cold wave conditions as the minimum temperatures showed improvement due to a nightlong cloud cover.
Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3 degrees Celsius, nearly three notches up from minus 6.3 degrees of the previous night which was the coldest night of this winter so far. Record low temperature over last few days in the city had led to freezing of fringes of famous Dal lake and other water bodies as well as water supply pipes.
The night temperature in Qazigund in South Kashmir settled at minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, up from yesterday’s minus 5.4 degrees.
Kokernag town saw the mercury rise to minus 1.6 degrees Celsius compared to minus 2.9 degrees Celsius.
Kupwara in North Kashmir recorded a low of minus 2.8 degrees Celsius, up from minus 5.4 degrees Celsius of the previous night.
Gulmarg recorded a minimum temperature of minus 8.5 degrees Celsius, while in Pahalgam a low of minus 3.3 degrees Celsius was recorded last night, up minus 7.5 degrees the previous night.
Kargil town continued to remain the coldest recorded place in the State as the minimum temperature there settled at minus 20.6 degrees Celsius.
Leh town was the second coldest place as the mercury there settled at a low of minus 14.6 degrees Celsius, compared to minus 17.4 degrees Celsius of the previous night.
Meanwhile, the MeT office has forecast mainly dry weather in the state over the next week. “The weather is likely to remain dry till January 17 and we are expecting some precipitation on January 18,” Meteorological Department, Srinagar, Director Sonam Lotus told Excelsior.
He, however, said the MeT office was not expecting heavy precipitation which could have otherwise resulted in heavy rains or snowfall in Kashmir which is currently under the grip of ‘Chillai-Kalan’–the harshest 40-day period of winter when the chances of snowfall are maximum.
“We are not expecting heavy precipitation. So, there is no forecast of heavy snowfall as of now. But, we are monitoring its intensity and distribution, whether it will be light or moderate and in higher reaches only or in plains as well,” he said.

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