Cold wave continues to sweep Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 16: Mercury plummeted further in south Kashmir but recorded a rise in central and north of Valley with Srinagar recording a low minus 1.3°C on Saturday.

A meteorological department official said today’s minimum temperature in Srinagar was below normal by 0.3°C. Qazigund recorded a minimum of minus 3.8°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, he said. The minimum temperature was 2.7°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, the official said.

Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 5.1°C against minus 5.0°C on the previous night and it was 1.3°C below normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.

Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of minus 3.6°C against minus 1.9°C on the previous night and the temperature was below normal by 0.7°C for the place, the official said.

Kupwara town in north Kashmir recorded a low of minus 1.7°C against minus 4.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.7°C above normal there, the official said.

Gulmarg, the official said, recorded a low of minus 2.8°C against minus 3.4°C on the previous night and the temperature was 1.4°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir.

Jammu, he said, recorded a minimum of 5.9°C against 7.3°C on previous night, and it was below normal by 3.3°C for the winter capital of J&K. Banihal recorded minus 1.2°C, Batote 2.5°C and Bhaderwah o.2°C, he said.

MeT has predicted mainly dry and cold weather in J&K till December 24.

In the next 24 hours, generally cloudy weather with possibility of brief spell of light snow over extreme higher reaches is a possibility, he said.

From December 17-24 December, the MeT has predicted “mainly dry weather.”

“Overall, dry and cold weather most likely to continue till December 24 over most places of J&K”. (GNS)