Srinagar, Feb 2 : The minimum temperature recorded a slight rise at few places and drop at others but stayed below sub-zero level in Kashmir Valley barring Srinagar on Thursday. A meteorological department official here told GNS that Srinagar recorded a low of 0.4°C, the same as on the previous night. Today’s minimum temperature, he said, was above normal by 1.1°C for the summer capital. Qazigund, he said, recorded a low of minus 2.0°C against 0.2°C on the previous night and it was 0.1°C above normal for the gateway town of Kashmir. Pahalgam, he said, recorded a low of 2.9°C against minus 8.9°C on the previous night and it was 3.2°C above normal for the famous tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 1.9°C against minus 0.5°C on the previous night and it was 0.5°C above normal for the place, the officials said. Gulmarg recorded a low of minus 7.6°C against minus 8.2°C on the previous night and it was normal for the world famous skiing resort in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, he said. In Kupwara town, he said, the mercury settled at minus 2.3°C against minus 1.4°C on the previous night and it was normal for the north Kashmir area. Jammu recorded a low of 7.5°C against 6.7°C on the previous night. It was 0.9°C below normal for J&K’s winter capital, he said. Banihal, he said, recorded a low of 1.4°C (above normal by 0.6°C), Batote 4.1°C (above normal by 2.0°C), Katra 8.1°C (1.1°C above normal) and Bhadarwah minus 0.2°C (0.4°C above normal). Ladakh’s Leh and Kargil recorded a low of minus 11.0°C and minus 15.6°C respectively, the official said. Drass, the second coldest place after Siberia, recorded a low of minus 16.1°C. While Chillai-Kalan, the 40-day long harsh winter period that started on December 21 has ended, Kashmir is under the grip of a 20-day-long period called ‘Chillai-Khurd’. It will be followed by a 10-day-long period ‘Chillai-Bachha’ (baby cold) which is from February 20 to March 1. The MeT department has forecast isolated very light rain and snow for next 24 hours. The weather department has already ruled out the possibility of any major snowfall for a week.
