The summer capital Srinagar shivered at minus 3.2°C on Sunday night marking the coldest night of the season, officials from the Meteorological Department said on Monday
Details shared by MET office, Srinagar shivered at -3.2°C, marking one of the coldest nights so far, while Pahalgam recorded -4.0°C and Gulmarg settled at -1.9°C.The cold wave intensified across South Kashmir as Pulwama dropped to -5.0°C and Shopian touched -5.1°C, making them among the coldest stations in the region. Higher reaches like Zojila continued to freeze at -16.0°C, details stated.
Across North and Central Kashmir, temperatures also remained well below freezing. Kupwara recorded -3.2°C, Budgam -3.4°C, and Baramulla witnessed a sharp plunge to -4.6°C. Awantipora and Sonamarg both registered -3.2°C, while Pampore dipped to -4.5°C.
The airport area in Srinagar also experienced severe cold with the mercury settling at -3.6°C, it reads.
In the Jammu region, temperatures showed a significant variation between plains and upper reaches. Jammu city recorded 10.0°C, while Katra settled at 9.2°C and Kathua also reported 9.2°C. However, the higher areas remained much colder, with Banihal dropping to -1.2°C, Bhaderwah recording 0.5°C, and Rajouri settling at 3.3°C.
Ladakh continued to remain in the grip of extreme cold conditions. Leh recorded -8.2°C, while Kargil dropped slightly lower at -8.6°C. Drass, often known as the coldest inhabited place in India, recorded -10.3°C, and Nyoma was even colder at -11.8°C. Other areas like Nubra and Padum also remained deeply frozen at -6.6°C and -9.3°C, respectively.
The weather is expected to remain mostly dry across Kashmir in the coming days, with sub-zero night temperatures likely to continue.
The department has also predicted partly cloudy weather on December 2 and 3, which may lead to a slight rise in night temperatures but no major change in the overall cold conditions.
Kashmir has been experiencing a sharp dip in temperatures as the region gradually moves towards the 40-day harsh winter period of Chilla-i-Kalan starting from December 21. (KNC)