No respite from cold wave, Pahalgam coldest at -5.6°C

Kashmir Valley continued to remain in the grip of the cold wave with the famous tourist resort of Pahalgam recording a low of minus 5.6°C on Thursday. There is no respite in sight as Chillai-e-Kalan— the 40-day long chilliest part of the winter season—is all set to start from December 21.

A meteorological department official said Srinagar recorded a low of minus 3.2°C against the previous night’s minus 3.2°C. While the mercury was around 2.4°C below normal during this time of the year, the official said, it was two notches above the lowest temperature recorded this season on December 5 and 14.

Qazigund recorded a low of minus 3.6°C against minus 3.0°C on the previous night. The temperature 2.5°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir, he said.

He said that Pahalgam recorded a low of minus 5.6°C against minus 5.3°C on previous night and it was 1.8°C below normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.3°C against minus 0.3°C as on the previous night and it was 0.2°C below normal for the place, he said.

Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 3.0°C against minus 4.0°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.2°C above normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the official said.

In Kupwara town, the mercury settled at minus 3.2°C against minus 2.8°C on the previous night, the official said. It was 1.5°C below normal for the north Kashmir place, he said.

Jammu recorded a low of 7.1°C against 6.4°C on the previous night. It was 2.1°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal recorded a low of 3.8°C (above normal by 2.1°C), Batote 5.2°C (1.5°C abovenormal), Katra 7.5°C (0.3°C above normal) and Bhadarwah 2.0°C (1.6°C above normal).

Ladakh, Leh recorded minus 10.6°C and Kargil minus 11.6°C, the official said. The MeT department has forecast mainly dry weather till December 21.