Temperature drops at most places in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 11: The residents in Kashmir experienced a colder night as the mercury in most places of the valley dropped, even as shallow fog engulfed many parts, officials said on Thursday.

The night temperature in Srinagar dropped a degree from the previous night to settle at a low of minus 2.9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, officials said.

They said the night temperature was 2.3 degrees below the normal for this time of the season.

Qazigund in south Kashmir recorded a low of minus 3.2 degrees Celsius, 1.6 degrees lower than the previous night.

The mercury in north Kashmir's Kupwara settled at minus 4.2 degrees Celsius, while Kokernag in south Kashmir registered a low of minus 1.2 degrees Celsius.

Pahalgam, the base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, recorded a low of minus 4.6 degrees Celsius, down by a degree, they said.

Gulmarg saw the temperature increase by 1.5 degrees to settle at zero degrees Celsius.

Pulwama and Shopian towns -- both in south Kashmir -- were the coldest recorded places in Jammu and Kashmir at minus 5.2 degrees Celsius each, the officials said.

The meteorological department said the weather is expected to stay generally dry till December 12, with a possibility of very light snowfall at isolated higher reaches of north and central Kashmir from December 13 to 15.

Shallow to moderate fog is likely to persist at many places in the valley over the coming days, the MeT office added.