Valley shivers under intense cold wave

Srinagar, Dec 5: The Kashmir Valley is in the grip of a severe cold wave, with Srinagar recording its coldest night of the season at minus 2.1°C on Thursday, officials said.

This temperature matches the season's earlier low, first observed on November 28, and is 0.9°C below the seasonal average of minus 1.2°C. Zojila Pass, along the Srinagar-Leh highway, emerged as the coldest spot, with temperatures plummeting to an extreme minus 18.0°C, according to an independent weather observer.

Popular tourist destinations across the valley also witnessed a sharp dip in temperatures. Pahalgam, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, recorded minus 5.3°C, colder than the previous night’s minus 4.8°C and 2.0°C below the seasonal average for this time of year.

Gulmarg, ski resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, recorded minus 3.6°C, a slight drop from the previous night’s minus 3.5°C and 0.5°C below normal for this period. Konibal saw temperatures fall to minus 4.5°C, adding to the biting chill.

Several other parts of the Kashmir Valley also recorded significant dips in nighttime temperatures. Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir, registered minus 2.7°C, dropping from the previous night’s minus 2.2°C and 1.5°C below normal. Kupwara, in north Kashmir, recorded minus 2.5°C, a sharp fall from minus 1.2°C the previous night and 0.8°C below normal.

Kokernag, a popular picnic spot in south Kashmir, experienced minus 1.4°C, down from 0.4°C the previous night and 0.8°C below the seasonal average. While the night brought bone-chilling cold, bright sunshine pushed daytime temperatures 1-2°C above normal at most weather stations across the valley, except for Gulmarg.

The Meteorological Department has predicted dry weather in the region until December 7. However, a weak Western Disturbance (WD) is expected to affect Jammu and Kashmir between December 8 and 9, possibly bringing light rain and snowfall over isolated higher reaches. "No significant weather activity is anticipated until December 14," the Met Office added.