Temperatures dipped further across the Kashmir Valley, with Shopian recording a low of minus 8.2 degrees Celsius, and clear skies leading to the freezing of parts of the Dal Lake and other water bodies during the ongoing ‘Chilla-i-Kalan’, officials said.
Srinagar recorded a minimum temperature of minus 5.7 degrees Celsius on Friday night, up from the previous night's minus 6.0 degrees Celsius, which was the coldest in the city so far this season, they said. The minimum temperature in the city was 3.8 degrees below the seasonal average.
The bone-chilling cold conditions led to the freezing of the parts of several water bodies, including the interiors of the Dal Lake here.
In south Kashmir, Shopian town was the coldest across the valley, as the mercury settled at minus 8.2 degrees Celsius. Pahalgam tourist resort, which also serves as one of the base camps for the annual Amarnath yatra, registered a low of minus 7.8 degrees Celsius.
The night temperature in the popular ski resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmir's Baramulla district settled at a low of minus 6.8 degrees Celsius, up from the previous night's minus 7.2 degrees Celsius, they said.
The tourist resort of Sonamarg in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district recorded a minimum temperature of 6.3 degrees Celsius.
Qazigund, the gateway town of the valley, registered a low of minus 6.3 degrees Celsius, the season's coldest, officials said. Kokernag recorded a low of minus 4.0 degrees Celsius, and Kupwara minus 6.1 degrees Celsius, they added.
Kashmir is currently in the midst of 'Chilla-i-Kalan', 40 days of extreme cold, during which night temperatures often drop several degrees below the freezing point, and the chances of snowfall are the highest.
'Chilla-i-Kalan', which began on December 21 last year, ends on January 30.
The plains of the valley have not received any snowfall so far this season.
The India Meteorological Department has said the weather is likely to remain dry but cloudy till January 21.
