Srinagar: Cold wave intensified in the Kashmir Valley as minimum temperatures dropped significantly, with Pahalgam and Shopian emerging as the coldest places on Wednesday, officials said.
Pahalgam recorded a minimum temperature of minus 4.4°C during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, a drop from minus 2.7°C the previous night. This was 2.3°C below normal for the popular tourist destination in south Kashmir.
Shopian, also located in south Kashmir, experienced an even lower temperature of minus 4.6°C. Other recorded temperatures included minus 3.4°C in Konibal, minus 3.9°C in Anantnag, minus 3.6°C in Pulwama, and minus 2.9°C in Kulgam. Sonamarg, in the Ganderbal district, recorded a minimum of minus 3.6°C.
In Srinagar, the minimum temperature dropped to minus 0.6°C, down from 0.7°C the previous night. This was 0.7°C below normal for the summer capital during this period of the season.
Qazigund, the gateway town to Kashmir in south Kashmir, recorded a low of minus 2.4°C, a significant drop from -0.8°C the previous night, and 2.4°C below normal for this time of the year.
The ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district recorded a low of minus 2.6°C against the minus 2.4°C recorded the previous night. It was 0.7°C below normal for the valley of meadows during this period of the season.
Kokernag recorded a low of 0.4°C against the 1.8°C previous night, and it was 0.3°C below normal for the picnic spot of South Kashmir.
The Meteorological Centre said the weather will generally remain dry till November 29, and from the evening of November 30, there is a possibility of light rain and light snow over the higher reaches and at isolated places.
The weather is very likely to remain inclement during December 1 and 2 with the possibility of light rain and light snow over the higher reaches and at the scattered to fairly widespread places over Jammu and Kashmir, the MeT office said, and added the weather will remain dry hereafter till December 6.
UNI
